Information Note on the Court’s case-law No. 1
November-December 1998
Millan I Tornes v. Andorra (dec.) - 35052/97
Decision 17.11.1998 [Section I]
Article 6
Criminal proceedings
Article 6-1
Access to court
Authorisation of the State prosecution service to initiate appeal proceedings: admissible
In 1995, the applicant was found guilty of aggravated concealment (of the body of a murder victim) and sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment. He filed an appeal, but the judgment was confirmed by the Higher Court of Justice, Andorra having in the meantime ratified the Convention. The applicant then submitted a request to file an empara appeal before the Constitutional Court, which was rejected. He complains that the refusal by the State prosecution service deprived him of access to the Constitutional Court and maintains that the need for authorisation from the State prosecution service to initiate such appeal proceedings is contrary to Article 6 of the Convention since the State prosecution service acted as public prosecutor in the criminal proceedings against him.
Admissible under Article 6 (the question of the applicability of this provision is joined to the consideration of the merits of the case).
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This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
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