Grand Chamber judgment concerning Belgium
01/06/2021
In the case of Denis and Irvine v. Belgium, the Court has found no violation of the Convention.
The applicants had been compulsorily confined under the 1930 Social Defence Law for committing acts classified as theft in 2007, in the case of Jimmy Denis, and for attempted theft, in the case of Derek Irvine.
Before the Court the applicants complained about the Belgian courts’ refusal to release them following the entry into force of the 5 May 2014 Compulsory Confinement Act, which provided that acts of theft and attempted theft could no longer be relied upon to order an individual’s compulsory confinement.
Webcast of the hearing (21/10/2020)
COVID-19
The French authorities have introduced a number of restrictions in the framework of the COVID-19 public-health crisis. The Court, while complying with the public-health measures adopted by our host State, in particular by prioritising teleworking and electronic communications, is continuing all its activities in accordance with the usual rules. Unlike during the previous lockdown periods, no special arrangements have been made in respect of procedures and time-limits.
Grand Chamber
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Request for advisory opinion accepted
02/06/2021The ECHR has accepted a request for an advisory opinion submitted by the French Conseil d’État concerning the entitlement of landowners’ associations to withdraw their land from the territory of an officially approved hunting association (ACCA).
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Referral
02/06/2021The Court has accepted the referral to the Grand Chamber of the case of L.B. v. Hungary.
This case concerns the publication of the applicant’s personal data on the website of the National Tax and Customs Authority for failure to fulfil his tax obligations.
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Chamber
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Judgment concerning Romania
01/06/2021
In the case of Association ACCEPT and Others v. Romania, the Court found a violation of the prohibition of discrimination read in conjunction with the right to respect for private and family life and freedom of assembly and association.
The case concerned a demonstration which had occurred in February 2013 at the screening of a film on a same-sex family during “LGBT History Month” organised by the association ACCEPT. Even though the police had provided some protection, the cinema had been invaded by demonstrators apparently associated with a far-right political movement, Noua Dreaptǎ, who had shouted homophobic insults and disrupted the screening.
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Judgment concerning Italy
27/05/2021In the case of J.L. v. Italy, the Court has found a violation of the right to respect for private life.
The case concerned criminal proceedings against seven men who had been accused of gang rape by the applicant and later acquitted by the Italian courts. Before the European Court the applicant complained that the Italian authorities had failed to protect her right to respect for her private life and her physical integrity in the framework of the criminal proceedings conducted further to her complaint.
The Court pointed out that the judicial authorities should avoid reproducing sexist stereotypes in their judicial decisions, minimising gender violence and exposing women to secondary victimisation by making guilt-inducing and moralising comments liable to damage victims’ confidence in the judicial system.
Press release (in French only)
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Hearings
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Forthcoming hearing
31/05/2021
The Court will be holding a Grand Chamber hearing in the case of B. v. Switzerland on 16 June 2021.
In this case the applicant complained about the termination of the widow's pension he was receiving, as the Federal Law on Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance provides that entitlement to a widower’s pension ends when the youngest child reaches the age of 18, whereas this is not the case for a widow.
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Grand Chamber hearing concerning Latvia
26/05/2021
The Court is holding a Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Savickis and Others v. Latvia.
The case concerns the applicants’ allegations of discrimination in the calculation of their State pensions as permanently resident non-citizens of Latvia, as contrasted with Latvian citizens.
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Events
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Artificial Intelligence Conference: Video of the President
02/06/2021
President Robert Spano recorded a message to Ministers on the occasion of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and Information Society to be held online on 10 and 11 June 2021. The theme of the conference will be Artificial intelligence – Intelligent politics - Challenges and opportunities for media and democracy.
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Communication
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Communication of a case to Italy
31/05/2021The Court has given notice to the Government of Italy of the application McCallum v. Italy.
The case concerns Beverly Ann McCallum’s extradition to the USA, where she is wanted as a suspect in the death of her then husband and the burning of his corpse.
Currently in detention in Italy, the applicant complains that if extradited to the United States, she faces a real risk of life imprisonment without parole.
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Other Information
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Webcasting: contribution from Ireland
28/05/2021
Ireland has recently renewed its support for the webcasting project, which enables all the public hearings of the Court to be filmed, recorded and broadcast on the ECHR Internet site.
Thanks to the funding received since 2007 from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, approximately 280 hearings have been filmed to date and have reached a wide audience via the Internet. The videos are made available on the day of the hearing and even the older videos can still be watched.
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Delivered Judgments & Decisions
03/06/2021
Forthcoming Judgments & Decisions
08-10/06/2021