Information Note on the Court’s case-law No.
November 1996
Ahmet Sadık v. Greece (preliminary objections) - 18877/91
Judgment 15.11.1996
Article 35
Article 35-1
Exhaustion of domestic remedies
Conviction of politician belonging to Muslim community of Western Thrace for disturbing peace during election campaign by distributing leaflets referring to that community as "Turkish": preliminary objection allowed
[This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.]
I.PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION
Applicant deceased – widow and children have legitimate moral interest in obtaining ruling that his conviction infringed right to freedom of expression relied on before Convention institutions – definite pecuniary interest under Article 50 of the Convention.
Conclusion: applicant's heirs have standing to continue proceedings in his stead (unanimously).
II.GOVERNMENT'S PRELIMINARY OBJECTION (non-exhaustion of domestic remedies)
Supervision machinery set up by Convention: subsidiary to national human rights protection systems – principle reflected in rule set forth in Article 26 of Convention – reiteration of principles laid down in Court's case-law on question of exhaustion.
In present case applicant did not at any time rely on Article 10 of Convention, or arguments to same or like effect based on domestic law, in courts dealing with his case, but merely defended himself against charge of disturbing peace contrary to Article 192 of Criminal Code.
Conclusion: objection upheld (six votes to three).
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
Click here for the Case-Law Information Notes
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy