Viezzer v. Italy

Information Note on the Court’s case-law No.

February 1991

Viezzer v. Italy - 12598/86

Judgment 19.2.1991

Article 6

Article 6-1

Reasonable time

Length of criminal proceedings: violation

[This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.]

I.ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION ("reasonable time")

A.Period to be taken into consideration

Proceedings instituted more than nine and a half years previously and still pending.

B.Applicable criteria

Reasonableness of length of proceedings: to be assessed in the light of the particular circumstance of the case, which in this instance called for overall assessment.

Investigation was of some complexity, but applicant did nothing to slow it down.

Conclusion: violation (unanimously).

II.ARTICLE 50 OF THE CONVENTION

Damage: sum awarded for non-pecuniary damage.

Lawyer's fees and expenses before the Court: reimbursed.

Conclusion: respondent State to pay specified sums to the applicant (unanimously).

© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.

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