Resolution CM/ResDH(2008)31[1]
Execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
six cases against France concerning the excessive length of criminal proceedings and lack of effective remedies
(see details in Appendix)
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 judgments transmitted by the Court to the Committee once they had become final;
Recalling that the violations of the Convention found by the Court in these cases concern the excessive length of criminal proceedings in which the applicants were either accused or civil parties (violations of Article 6, paragraph 1), as well as the lack of effective remedy in the case of Mutimura (violation of Article 13); noting that all the proceedings at issue had been ended when the Court delivered its judgments except in the case of Mutimura;
Having invited the government of the respondent state to inform the Committee of the measures taken in order to comply with France's obligation under Article 46, paragraph 1, of the Convention to abide by the judgments;
Having examined the information provided by the government in accordance with the Committee's Rules for the application of Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention;
Having satisfied itself that the respondent state paid the applicants the just satisfaction provided in the judgments (see details in Appendix),
Recalling that a finding of violations by the Court requires, over and above the payment of just satisfaction awarded in the judgments, the adoption by the respondent state, where appropriate, of
- individual measures to put an end to the violations and erase their consequences so as to achieve as far as possible restitutio in integrum; and
- general measures preventing, similar violations;
Considering that during the examination of these cases by the Committee of Ministers, the government of the respondent state recalled that measures had already been taken to prevent new, similar violations (see Resolution CM/ResDH(2007)39 in the case Etcheveste and Bidart and nine similar cases), in view inter alia of the adoption of the five-year orientation and programming Law for Justice of 09/09/2002 (several measures: recruitment of staff, creation of budgetary resources etc.), the adoption of Law No. 2000-516 of 15/06/2000 (several procedural measures to accelerate in particular the pre-trial investigations), and the setting up of an effective remedy to complain about the excessive length of this kind of proceedings;
Considering that, in the case Mutimura, where the applicant was a civil party, the government indicated that the judgment of the European Court was transmitted to all appropriate magistrates, so that those in charge of this case after the judgment of the European Court are informed of the Convention's requirement of promptness; thus the proceedings are being closely monitored by the judicial authorities.
DECLARES, having examined the measures taken by the respondent state, that it has exercised its functions under Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Convention in these cases and
DECIDES to close the examination of these cases.
Appendix to Resolution CM/ResDH(2008)31
Details of the cases
Name and application number
Pecuniary damage
Non-pecuniary damage
Costs and expenses
Total
QUEMAR
69258/01
8 000 euros to each of the two applicants
2 000 euros jointly
18 000 euros
Paid on 18/08/2005, with interest
FRANGY
42270/98
3 000 euros
100 euros
3 100 euros
Paid on 13/09/2005, with interest
MUTIMURA
46621/99
10 000 euros
3 000 euros
13 000 euros
Paid on 22/11/2004
COSTE
50632/99
8 000 euros
8 000 euros
Paid on 12/01/2004
OTTOMANI
49857/99
4 000 euros
300 euros
4 300 euros
Paid on 23/01/2003
BELJANSKI
44070/99
4 500 euros
6 000 euros
10 500 Euros
Paid on 07/10/2002, with interest
[1] Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 27 March 2008 at the 1020th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies
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