International Law Bulletin / 01_2018

 

 

 

A retrospective to European Court of Human Rights Cases of 2017

Cases are ordered by defendant country. In each case there is a reference to the relevant article of the European Convention of Human Rights.

 

Austria 

17.1.2017 

J and Others v. Austria, no. 58216/12

ARTICLE 4 

Article 4 § 1 

Trafficking in human beings, positive obligations 

Decision of prosecutor not to pursue investigation into alleged human trafficking offences committed abroad by non-nationals: no violation 

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

27.6.2017 

Medžlis Islamske Zajednice Brčko and Others v. Bosnia and Herzegovina [GC], no. 17224/11 

ARTICLE 10 

Freedom of expression 

NGOs bound by requirement to verify factual statements defamatory of private individuals: no violation 

 

Bulgaria 

12.5.2017 

Simeonovi v. Bulgaria [GC], no. 21980/04 

ARTICLE 6 

Article 6 § 1 

Fair hearing 

Article 6 § 3 (c) 

Defence through legal assistance 

Lack of access to lawyer during first three days of police custody not affecting overall fairness of the trial: no violation 

 

Croatia 

28.3.2017 

Škorjanec v. Croatia, no. 25536/14 

ARTICLE 3 

Positive obligations (procedural aspect) 

Failure to investigate racially motivated act of violence against victim by association: violation 

 

Czech Republic 

19.9.2017 

Regner v. the Czech Republic [GC], no. 35289/11 

ARTICLE 6 

Article 6 § 1 (administrative) 

Fair hearing Adversarial trial Equality of arms 

Lack of access to classified information constituting decisive evidence in judicial-review proceedings: Article 6 applicable; no violation 

 

Finland 

27.6.2017 

Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy v. Finland [GC], no. 931/13 

ARTICLE 10 

Freedom to impart information 

Order restraining mass publication of tax information: no violation 

 

France 

6.4.2017 

A.P., Garçon and Nicot v. France, nos. 79885/12 and 2 others 

ARTICLE 8 

Respect for private life Positive obligations 

Legal requirements for rectification of civil status for transgender persons: violation; no violations 

 

Greece 

30.03.2017 

Chowdury and Others v. Greece, no. 21884/15 

ARTICLE 4 

Trafficking in human beings, forced labour, positive obligations 

Inadequate response to human-trafficking through exploitation of vulnerability of unauthorised migrant workers: violation 

 

Hungary 

5.9.2017 

Fábián v. Hungary [GC], no. 78117/13 

ARTICLE 14 

Discrimination (Article 1 of Protocol No.1) 

Difference in entitlement to continued payment of State pension for pensioners employed in civil service and pensioners employed in private sector: no violation 

ARTICLE 1 OF PROTOCOL No. 1 

Peaceful enjoyment of possessions 

Suspension of State pension for pensioner employed in the civil service: no violation 

14.9.2017 

Károly Nagy v. Hungary [GC], no. 56665/09 

ARTICLE 6 

Article 6 § 1 (civil) 

Access to court 

Supreme Court ruling that civil courts had no jurisdiction to hear pastor’s claim for wrongful dismissal by church: Article 6 not applicable; inadmissible 

 

Italy 

24.1.2017 

Paradiso and Campanelli v. Italy [GC], no. 25358/12 

ARTICLE 8 

Respect for private life 

Removal of a child born abroad as a result of a surrogacy arrangement entered into by a couple later found to have no biological link with the child: no violation 

23.2.2017 

De Tommaso v. Italy [GC], no. 43395/09 

ARTICLE 5 

Article 5 § 1 

Deprivation of liberty 

Imposition of preventive measures entailing restrictions on freedom of movement on individual considered to be a danger to society: Article 5 not applicable 

Article 6 § 1 (civil) 

Civil rights and obligations, Public hearing 

Imposition of preventive measures without public hearing: Article 6 applicable; violation 

ARTICLE 2 OF PROTOCOL No. 4 

Article 2 § 1 

Freedom of movement 

Lack of clarity of Italian legislation regarding imposition of “special police supervision” orders on persons considered a danger to society: violation 

 

The Netherlands 

25.7.2017 

M v. the Netherlands, no. 2156/10 

ARTICLE 6 

Article 6 § 3 (b) 

Access to relevant files 

Restrictions on defence access to classified information: no violation 

Article 6 § 3 (c) 

Defence through legal assistance 

Restrictions on divulgation by accused of classified information to his defence counsel: violation 

Article 6 § 3 (d) 

Examination of witnesses 

Restrictions on access to classified information defence wished to use to examine witnesses: no violation 

 

Portugal 

11.7.2017 

Moreira Ferreira v. Portugal (no. 2) [GC], no. 19867/12 

ARTICLE 6 

Article 6 § 1 (Criminal) 

Criminal charge Access to court Fair hearing 

Complaint about refusal by domestic court to re-open criminal proceedings following finding of a violation of Article 6 by European Court: admissible 

Refusal by Supreme Court of request for revision of a criminal judgment further to a judgment of European Court finding a violation of Article 6: no violation 

25.7.2017 

Carvalho Pinto de Sousa Morais v. Portugal, no. 17484/15 

ARTICLE 14 

Discrimination (Article 8) 

Reduction in damages award on grounds of sex and age of claimant: violation 

 

Romania 

5.9.2017 

Bărbulescu v. Romania [GC], no. 61496/08 

ARTICLE 8 

Respect for private life Respect for correspondence 

Monitoring of an employee’s use of the Internet at his place of work and use of data collected to justify his dismissal: violation 

 

Russia 

24.1.2017 

Khamtokhu and Aksenchik v. Russia [GC], nos. 60367/08 and 961/11 

ARTICLE 14 

Discrimination (Article 5) 

Alleged discrimination in provisions governing liability to life imprisonment: no violations 

 

13.4.2017 

Tagayeva and Others v. Russia, nos. 26562/07 and 6 others 

ARTICLE 2 

Use of force Positive obligations (substantive aspect) Effective investigation Positive obligations (procedural aspect) 

Breach of State’s obligations to protect life during hostage taking crisis in Beslan in 2004 and lack of effective investigation: violations 

ARTICLE 13 

Effective remedy 

Special importance of compensation and access to information under Article 13: no violation 

ARTICLE 46 

Execution of judgment – general measures Execution of judgment – individual measures 

Respondent State to take measures to ensure adequate legal framework for use of lethal force during security operations 

30.5.2017 

Davydov and Others v. Russia, no. 75947/11 

ARTICLE 3 OF PROTOCOL NO. 1 

Free expression of the opinion of the people 

Failure by domestic authorities to adequately investigate complaints of serious electoral irregularities: violation 

20.6.2017 

Bayev and Others v. Russia, nos. 67667/09 and 2 others 

ARTICLE 10 

Freedom of expression 

Legislative prohibition on the promotion of homosexuality among minors reinforcing stigma and prejudice and encouraging homophobia: violation 

ARTICLE 14 

Discrimination (Article 10) 

Unjustified difference in treatment between heterosexual majority and homosexual minority: violation 

 

Switzerland 

10.1.2017 

Osmanoğlu and Kocabaş v. Switzerland, no. 29086/12 

ARTICLE 9 

Manifest religion or belief 

Imposition of fine on parents for refusing, on religious grounds, to allow their daughters to attend compulsory mixed swimming lessons at their primary school: no violation 

 

Turkey 

4.4.2017 

Güzelyurtlu and Others v. Cyprus and Turkey, no. 36925/07 

ARTICLE 2 

Effective investigation Positive obligations (procedural aspect) 

Failure of Turkish and Cypriot authorities to cooperate in murder investigation: violations 

 

 

United Kingdom 

17.1.2017 

Hutchinson v. the United Kingdom [GC], no. 57592/08 

ARTICLE 3 

Inhuman or degrading punishment 

Continued detention under whole life order following clarification of Secretary of State’s powers to order release: no violation 

13.6.2017 

Moohan and Gillon v. the United Kingdom (dec.), nos. 22962/15 and 23345/15 

ARTICLE 35 

Article 35 § 3 (a) 

Competence ratione materiae 

Referendum on Scottish Independence did not fall within scope of Article 3 of Protocol No. 1: inadmissible 

15.6.2017 

Harkins v. the United Kingdom (dec.) [GC], no. 71537/14 

ARTICLE 35 

Article 35 § 2 (b) 

Matter already examined by the Court 

Development in Court’s jurisprudence did not constitute “relevant new information” for purposes of Article 35 § 2 (b): inadmissible 

 

 

 

Celia Liagoura

Attorney-at-law | Research Associate

Prof. Elias Krispis Foundation for International Legal Studies 

 

 

Source: ECHR, http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Cases_list_2017_ENG.pdf (last visited: 24 January 2018).

 

 

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