Grand Chamber judgment concerning France

14/09/2022

In the case of H.F. and Others v. France the Court held that there had been a violation of the right to enter the territory of the State of which he or she is a national.

The case concerned unsuccessful requests by the applicants for the repatriation by the French authorities of their respective daughters and grandchildren, who are being held in the al-Hol camp in north-eastern Syria run by the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Press release  Delivery of the judgment

Questions & Answers

Webcast of the hearing (29/09/2021)

Country profile - France

P15

Due to the interruption of the international postal services to and from the Russian Federation and where the only means of delivery of the Court’s decisions and judgments to the applicants is by post, the Court has exceptionally decided to notify the applicants about decisions and judgments adopted by its Chamber and Committee judicial formations after 1 March 2022 in respect of applications against the Russian Federation only via its HUDOC database.

Elections

  • Election of a new President of the ECHR

    19/09/2022 
    Election of a new President of the ECHR

    The Court has elected Síofra O’Leary (Ireland) as President of the Court. Having been Vice-President of the Court since 2 January 2022, Síofra O’Leary will succeed Robert Spano, whose term of office expires on 31 October 2022.

    Síofra O’Leary is the first female President in the history of the Court.

    Press release

    Composition of the Court

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  • Election of new Vice-Presidents and Section Presidents of the ECHR

    19/09/2022 
    Election of new Vice-Presidents and Section Presidents of the ECHR

    The ECHR has elected two new Vice-Presidents - Judges Georges Ravarani (Luxembourg) and Marko Bošnjak (Slovenia). It has also elected two new Section Presidents – Judges Pere Pastor Vilanova (Andorra) and Arnfinn Bårdsen (Norway). They will all take up their duties on 1 November 2022 respectively.

    Press release

    Composition of the Court

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Decision

  • Inadmissibility decision concerning Ukraine

    15/09/2022 
    Inadmissibility decision concerning Ukraine

    The ECHR has declared inadmissible the application in the case of Makovetskyy v. Ukraine.

    The case concerned administrative-offence proceedings against the applicant for refusal to wear a mask in a supermarket, although doing so had been compulsory as part of measures to restrict the spread of the disease COVID-19.

    The Court held that the domestic courts had not prevented the applicant from making his case and had addressed his arguments, and that the administrative fine issued by a police officer subject to judicial oversight was consistent with the Convention.

    Press release

    Factsheet: COVID-19 health crisis

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Other Information

  • The Russian Federation ceases to be a Party to the Convention

    16/09/2022 
    The Russian Federation ceases to be a Party to the Convention

    On 5 September 2022 the plenary Court took formal notice of the fact that the Russian Federation would cease to be a High Contracting Party to the Convention on 16 September 2022 and that the office of judge at the Court with respect to the Russian Federation would also cease to exist.

    Press release

    Resolution

    Convention

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Chamber

  • Judgment concerning Poland

    15/09/2022 
    Judgment concerning Poland

    In the case of Rabczewska v. Poland the Court held that there had been a violation of the freedom of expression.

    The case concerned a pop singer in Poland known as Doda and comments she had made in an interview about the Bible which the courts decided were blasphemous.

    The Court found that the applicant’s statements had been made in reply to questions about her private life, in a frivolous and colourful language with her young audience of fans in mind. They had neither amounted to hate speech nor incited to hatred or religious intolerance and the Court therefore ruled that the domestic courts had failed to provide sufficient reasons to justify the interference with the applicant’s freedom of speech.

    Press release

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Official Visit

  • Visit by a delegation of the EFTA Court

    16/09/2022 
    Visit by a delegation of the EFTA Court

    On 15 September 2022, a delegation of the Court of Justice of the European Free Trade Association States (“EFTA Court”), headed by its President, Páll Hreinsson, visited the Court. The visiting Judges took part in roundtable discussions with Judges of the Court and members of the Registry.

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Hearings

  • Forthcoming hearing

    31/08/2022 
    Forthcoming hearing

    The Court will be holding a Chamber hearing in the case of Pietrzak v. Poland and Bychawska-Siniarska and Others v. Poland on 27 September 2022.

    The case concerns the compatibility of the national legislation authorising secret surveillance by the police and intelligence services in respect of communications, and data collection about those communications (“metadata”), regarding the right to respect for private and family life and the right to an effective remedy.

    Press release 

    Factsheet: Mass surveillance

    Calendar of hearings

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Judgments&Decisions

Delivered Judgments & Decisions

Forthcoming Judgments & Decisions