THURZO v. AUSTRIA



                  EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

                             FIRST CHAMBER

                       Application No. 21613/93

                             Laszlo Thurzo

                                against

                                Austria

                       REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

                     (adopted on 18 October 1995)

                           TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                 Page

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

PART I  :  STATEMENT OF THE FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

PART II :  SOLUTION REACHED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

                             INTRODUCTION

1.    This Report relates to the application introduced under

Article 25 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human

Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by Laszlo Thurzo against Austria on

3 February 1993.  It was registered on 2 April 1993 under file

No. 21613/93.

      The applicant was repre0sented by Mr. K. Bernhauser, a lawyer

practising in Vienna.

      The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent,

Ambassador F. Cede, Head of the International Law Department at the

Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2.    The application relates to the length of criminal proceedings

against the applicant. On 22 February 1995 the Commission (First

Chamber) declared the application admissible.

3.    The Commission then proceeded to carry out its task under

Article 28 para. 1 of the Convention which provides as follows:

      "In the event of the Commission accepting a petition referred to

      it:

      a.   it shall, with a view to ascertaining the facts, undertake

      together with the representatives of the parties an examination

      of the petition and, if need be, an investigation, for the

      effective conduct of which the States concerned shall furnish all

      necessary facilities, after an exchange of views with the

      Commission;

      b.   it shall at the same time place itself at the disposal of

      the parties concerned with a view to securing a friendly

      settlement of the matter on the basis of respect for Human Rights

      as defined in this Convention."

4.    The Commission (First Chamber) found that the parties had reached

a friendly settlement of the case and on 18 October 1995 it adopted

this Report, which, in accordance with Article 28 para. 2 of the

Convention, is confined to a brief statement of the facts and of the

solution reached.

      The following members were present when the Report was adopted:

           MM.   C.L. ROZAKIS, President

                 E. BUSUTTIL

                 A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK

                 A. WEITZEL

                 M.P. PELLONPÄÄ

                 B. MARXER

                 G.B. REFFI

                 B. CONFORTI

                 I. BÉKÉS

                 E. KONSTANTINOV

                 G. RESS

                 A. PERENIC

                 C. BÎRSAN

                 K. HERNDL

                                PART I

                        STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

5.    The applicant, born in 1950, is an Austrian national and resident

in Vienna.

6.    In January 1987 preliminary investigations were opened against

the applicant on the suspicion of having committed fraud to the

disadvantage of an insurance company.

7.    On 18 December 1991 the Vienna Regional Criminal Court

(Landesgericht für Strafsachen) convicted the applicant of grave fraud

and sentenced him to one year's imprisonment suspended on probation.

8.    On 9 July 1992 the Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) dismissed

the applicant's plea of nullity (Nichtigkeitsbeschwerde).

9.    On 19 October 1992 the Vienna Court of Appeal (Oberlandesgericht)

dismissed the applicant's appeal (Berufung). On the appeal of the

Public Prosecutor's Office against sentence, it decided that only a

period of eight months was to be suspended on probation.

                                PART II

                           SOLUTION REACHED

10.   Following the decision on the admissibility of the application,

the Commission (First Chamber) placed itself at the disposal of the

parties with a view to securing a friendly settlement in accordance

with Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention and invited the parties

to submit any proposals they wished to make.

11.   In accordance with the usual practice, the Chamber Secretary,

acting on the Commission's instructions, contacted the parties to

explore the possibilities of reaching a friendly settlement.

12.   By letters of 14 July and 24 July 1995, respectively, the

applicant and the respondent Government informed the Commission that

they had agreed on the terms of a friendly settlement, and submitted

the following declaration.

    "Statements of the parties with a view to a friendly settlement

      With reference to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the European

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,

the parties in the proceedings concerning Application No. 21613/93,

lodged by Laszlo Thurzo, declare with a view to a friendly settlement,

reached with the assistance of the European Commission of Human Rights,

as follows:

      1.   The Government of the Republic of Austria will pay to the

      applicant a sum amounting to altogether AS 45,000 as compensation

      in respect of any possible claims relating to the present

      application. This sum includes AS 15,000 in respect of the

      counsel's fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before

      the Commission.

           This amount will be paid to the applicant's counsel,

      Mr. K Bernhauser in Vienna.

      2.   The applicant declares his application settled.

      3.   The applicant waives any further claims against the

      Republic of Austria relating to the present application."

           "Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung

      In der Beschwerdesache Nr. 21613/93 des Herrn Lazlo Thurzo

einigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf Artikel 28 Abs. 1 lit b

der Europäischen Konvention zum Schutze der Menschenrechte und

Grundfreiheiten und unter Mitwirkung der Europäischen Kommission für

Menschenrechte auf die nachstehende gütliche Regelung:

      1.   Die österreichische Regierung zahlt dem Beschwerdeführer

      als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaige Ansprüche im Zusammenhang mit

      der vorliegenden Beschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von öS 45,000.

      Dieser Betrag umfaßt öS 15,000 hinsichtlich der Gebühren und

      Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der Kommission

      entstanden sind.

           Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des

      Beschwerdeführers, Herrn Rechtsanwalt Dr. K. Bernhauser in Wien

      überwiesen.

      2.   Der Beschwerdeführer erklärt seine oben genannte Beschwerde

      als erledigt.

      3.   Der Beschwerdeführer verzichtet auf die Geltendmachug

      allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die Republik Österreich

      im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde zugrundeliegenden

      Sachverhalt."

13.   At its session on 18 October 1995, the Commission noted that the

parties had reached an agreement regarding the terms of a settlement.

It further considered, having regard to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the

Convention, that the friendly settlement of the case had been secured

on the basis of respect for Human Rights as defined in the Convention.

14.   For these reasons, the Commission adopted the present Report.

Secretary to the First Chamber    President of the First Chamber

     (M.F. BUQUICCHIO)                    (C.L. ROZAKIS)

 

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