Resolution CM/ResDH(2023)368
Execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
Two cases against Bulgaria
(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 7 December 2023
at the 1483rd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies)
Application No.
Case
Judgment of
Final on
35422/16
ALI REZA
17/05/2022
17/08/2022
34016/18
O.D.
10/10/2019
10/01/2020
The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which provides that the Committee supervises the execution of final judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Convention” and “the Court”,
Having regard to the final judgments transmitted by the Court to the Committee in these cases and to the violations established on account of the excessive length of detention pending expulsion in the Ali Reza case (violation of Article 5, paragraph 1); the planed expulsion of the applicant despite risks of death or ill-treatment in the destination country, the failure to rigorously examine these risks and the absence of an automatically suspensive effect of the domestic remedy in the O.D. case (potential violations of Articles 2 and 3 and violation of Article 13 combined with Articles 2 and 3).
Recalling the respondent State’s obligation, under Article 46, paragraph 1, of the Convention, to abide by all final judgments in cases to which it has been a party and that this obligation entails, over and above the payment of any sums awarded by the Court, the adoption by the authorities of the respondent State, where required:
- of individual measures to put an end to violations established and erase their consequences so as to achieve as far as possible restitutio in integrum; and
- of general measures preventing similar violations;
Having invited the government of the respondent State to inform the Committee of the measures taken to comply with the above-mentioned obligation;
Having examined the action plan provided by the government indicating the individual measures adopted in the O.D. case to give effect to the judgment including the information provided regarding the payment of the just satisfaction awarded by the Court (see document DH-DD(2023)70);
Having noted also the information provided regarding the payment of the just satisfaction awarded by the Court in the Ali Reza case;
Considering that the question of individual measures was resolved, given that:
- the applicant in the Ali Reza case was released from detention and that the just satisfaction for non-pecuniary damage awarded by the Court has been duly paid;
- the expulsion order against the applicant in the O.D. case has been annulled by the domestic court following the judgment of the Court, all relevant authorities were informed of the judgment of the Court and have declared that they will refrain from removing the applicant to Syria or to a third country, in which he could incur a risk of removal to Syria;
Recalling that the question of general measures required in response to the shortcomings found by the Court in these judgments continues to be examined within the framework of the C.G. and Others group of cases, also in the light of the Court’s findings in these cases, and that the closure of these cases therefore in no way prejudges the Committee’s evaluation of the general measures required,
DECLARES that it has exercised its functions under Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention in these cases;
CONCLUDES that the necessary individual measures have been adopted;
DECIDES to continue to supervise the adoption of the necessary general measures within the framework of the C.G. and Others group;
DECIDES to close the examination of these cases.