INFORMATION NOTE No. 30 on the case-law of the Court May 2001
INFORMATION NOTE No. 30 on the case-law of the Court May 2001
INFORMATION NOTE No. 30 on the case-law of the Court May 2001
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declined jurisdicti<strong>on</strong> in April 1997. <str<strong>on</strong>g>No</str<strong>on</strong>g> substantive progress was made after <strong>the</strong> file was<br />
returned to <strong>the</strong> first prosecutor. Having regard to <strong>the</strong> inactivity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prosecutors and<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir reluctance to pursue any lines <strong>of</strong> enquiry c<strong>on</strong>cerning <strong>the</strong> involvement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> security<br />
forces, <strong>the</strong> investigati<strong>on</strong> did not provide any safeguard in respect <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> right to life.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: violati<strong>on</strong> (6 votes to 1).<br />
Article 3 (missing pers<strong>on</strong>s) – The Commissi<strong>on</strong> had established that <strong>the</strong> missing pers<strong>on</strong>s<br />
were detained in <strong>the</strong> open and that most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m were bound. Moreover, some beating<br />
occurred. This, in additi<strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> fear and anguish, reached <strong>the</strong> threshold <strong>of</strong> inhuman and<br />
degrading treatment.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: violati<strong>on</strong> (6 votes to 1).<br />
Article 3 (applicants) – While it is not disputed that <strong>the</strong> applicants suffered, and c<strong>on</strong>tinue<br />
to suffer, distress as a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> disappearances, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Court</strong> was not satisfied that <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>case</strong> disclosed <strong>the</strong> special circumstances referred to in <strong>the</strong> Çakiçi judgment and did not<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sider that <strong>the</strong> applicants could claim to be victims <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> authorities' c<strong>on</strong>duct to an<br />
extent which disclosed a breach <strong>of</strong> Article 3.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: no violati<strong>on</strong> (6 votes to 1).<br />
Article 5 – The <strong>Court</strong>'s reas<strong>on</strong>ing and findings in relati<strong>on</strong> to Article 2 leave no doubt that<br />
<strong>the</strong> detenti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> applicants' relatives was also in breach <strong>of</strong> this provisi<strong>on</strong>. The relatives<br />
were detained, <strong>the</strong>re has been no plausible explanati<strong>on</strong> for <strong>the</strong>ir whereabouts and <strong>the</strong><br />
investigati<strong>on</strong> was not adequate. Moreover, <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> custody records is particularly<br />
serious. There has thus been a particularly grave violati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> right to liberty and<br />
security <strong>of</strong> pers<strong>on</strong>.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: violati<strong>on</strong> (unanimously).<br />
Article 13 – There can be no doubt that <strong>the</strong> applicants have an arguable complaint and<br />
were entitled to an effective remedy. <str<strong>on</strong>g>No</str<strong>on</strong>g> effective criminal investigati<strong>on</strong> can be<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sidered to have been c<strong>on</strong>ducted in accordance with this provisi<strong>on</strong>, <strong>the</strong> requirements <strong>of</strong><br />
which may be broader than <strong>the</strong> obligati<strong>on</strong> to investigate imposed by Article 2.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: violati<strong>on</strong> (6 votes to 1).<br />
Article 34 (former Article 25) – The applicants were questi<strong>on</strong>ed by police and public<br />
prosecutors about <strong>the</strong>ir applicati<strong>on</strong>s to <strong>the</strong> Commissi<strong>on</strong> and two were held in custody.<br />
They must have felt intimidated by <strong>the</strong>se c<strong>on</strong>tacts with <strong>the</strong> authorities, which went<br />
bey<strong>on</strong>d an investigati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> facts underlying <strong>the</strong>ir complaints. This c<strong>on</strong>stituted undue<br />
interference.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: failure to comply with obligati<strong>on</strong>s (6 votes to 1).