SECOND SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 20802/20
Artūras LIUBENKA
against Lithuania
The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 12 October 2023 as a Committee composed of:
Frédéric Krenc, President,
Diana Sârcu,
Davor Derenčinović, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application lodged on 12 May 2020,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
FACTS AND PROCEDURE
The applicant, Mr Artūras Liubenka, was born in 1987.
The applicant’s complaints under Article 8 of the Convention taken alone and in conjunction with Article 14 concerning conjugal visits in prison and alleged discrimination on account of his health status were communicated to the Lithuanian Government (“the Government”), who submitted observations on the admissibility and merits. The observations were forwarded to the applicant, who was invited to appoint a representative and to submit his own observations.
On 28 February 2023 the applicant sent a letter to the Registry asking for leave to represent himself in the proceedings before the Court. By letter dated 30 March 2023 he was informed that his request had been rejected. He was also informed that the period allowed for submission of his observations had expired on 3 March 2023 and that no extension of time had been requested. The applicant was asked to either submit a duly reasoned request for leave to represent himself or to appoint a representative by 2 May 2023. No reply was received to the Registry’s letter.
By letter dated 6 June 2023, sent by registered post, the applicant was notified that the period allowed for submission of the requested information had expired on 2 May 2023 and that no extension of time had been requested. The applicant’s attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, which provides that the Court may strike an application out of its list of cases where the circumstances lead to the conclusion that the applicant does not intend to pursue the application. The applicant received this letter on 14 June 2023. However, no response has followed.
THE LAW
In the light of the foregoing, and in the absence of any special circumstances regarding respect for the rights guaranteed by the Convention and the Protocols thereto, the Court, in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, considers that it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the application.
Accordingly, the case should be struck out of the list.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.
Done in English and notified in writing on 16 November 2023.
Viktoriya Maradudina Frédéric Krenc
Acting Deputy Registrar President
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy