The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, exercising its
functions under the European Convention on Human Rights to supervise
the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights,
discussed during its last session the action taken by the Austrian
Government pursuant to the judgment which the European Court of Human
Rights had delivered in the Neumeister case.
Mr. Fritz Neumeister introduced on 12 July 1963 an application to the
European Commission of Human Rights against the Republic of Austria
alleging violation of several provisions of the European Convention on
Human Rights. In particular he complained about the length of his
detention on remand. The European Commission, on 6 April 1964,
declared three of the applicant's complaints admissible and in its
report of 17 August 1966 it expressed the opinion that there was a
violation of Article 5 (3) (art. 5-3) of the Convention in that the
applicant was not brought to trial "within a reasonable time" and that
the applicant's case was not heard "within a reasonable time" within
the meaning of Article 6 (1) (art. 6-1).
The case was referred to the European Court of Human Rights on
7 October 1966. In its judgment of 27 June 1968, the European Court,
while rejecting two other complaints of the applicant, held that there
had been a breach of Article 5 (3) (art. 5-3) of the Convention in
that the detention of the applicant had been continued for longer than
a reasonable time.
In a subsequent judgment of 7 May 1974 concerning a request for just
satisfaction, the Court held unanimously that the applicant's claim
was not well-founded subject to the fact that the Republic of Austria
was to pay to the applicant in respect of lawyers' costs the sum of
30 000 schillings.
The Committee of Ministers has now taken note that, pursuant to its
obligation under Article 53 (art. 53) of the European Convention on
Human Rights, the Government of Austria has executed the judgment of
the Court of 7 May 1974.
The Committee of Ministers has also agreed that its task of
supervising the execution of the judgment of the Court in accordance
with Article 54 (art. 54) of the Convention has now been completed in
this case.