Resolution CM/ResDH(2023)482
Execution of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights
Velikova 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
41488/98
Velikova
18/05/2000
04/10/2000
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 judgment transmitted by the Court to the Committee in this case and to the violations established concerning the death of the applicant’s partner a result of injuries inflicted while in the hands of the police, lack of an effective investigation and lack effective remedy (violations of Articles 2, 3 and 13);
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 information provided by the government over the years, indicating the measures adopted in order to give effect to the judgment including the information provided regarding the payment of the just satisfaction awarded by the Court;
Recalling that the Committee considered at its 1265th meeting (September 2016) (DH) that no further individual measure was possible in this case;
Having noted that substantial progress has been achieved in the execution process, inter alia through legislative amendments introducing Convention-compliant rules on use of force by the police and in penitentiary facilities, rules on identification of officers participating in special operations, introduction of judicial review of refusals to open investigation and of a provision criminalising torture;
Having noted that all outstanding questions concerning the general measures required to prevent
ill-treatment, death or lack of timely medical assistance under the responsibility of law-enforcement agencies and to ensure effective investigations into such incidents or into the broader circumstances surrounding a killing during police operation and effective domestic remedies continue to be examined in the Dimitrov and Others group of cases;
DECLARES that it has exercised its functions under Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention in this case;
DECIDES to close the examination thereof.