AFFAIRE ANGEL ANGELOV CONTRE LA BULGARIE

Cea de-a 1177-a ședință (H46-1) Anexa 5 ( Rezoluția CM/ResDH(2013)153 Angel Angelov împotriva Bulgariei Execuția hotărârii Curții Europene a Drepturilor Omului (întrebarea nr. 51343/99, Hotărârea din 15 februarie 2007, definitivă la 15 mai 2007) (adoptată de Comitetul de Miniștri la 11 septembrie 2013, cu ocazia celei de-a 1177-a ședințe a delegaților miniștrilor) Comitetul miniștrilor, în temeiul articolului 46 alineatul (2) din Convenția pentru apărarea drepturilor omului și a libertăților fundamentale, care prevede ca Comitetul să supravegheze executarea hotărârilor definitive ale Curții Europene a Drepturilor Omului (denumite în continuare "convenția" și "Curtea"), Având în vedere hotărârea definitivă, care a fost transmisă de Curte Comitetului în cauza de mai sus și încălcarea constatată reamintind obligația statului pârât, în temeiul articolului 46 alineatul (1) (1) din Convenție, să se conformeze hotărârilor definitive în litigiile la care este parte și că această obligație implică, pe lângă plata satisfacției echitabile acordate de Curte, adoptarea de către autoritățile din statul membru în cauză, dacă este necesar de măsuri individuale pentru a pune capăt încălcărilor constatate și pentru a elimina consecințele acestora, în măsura posibilului de către Restitutio in integrum de măsuri generale de prevenire a unor încălcări similare ; Am invitat guvernul statului pârât să informeze Comitetul cu privire la măsurile luate pentru a se conforma obligației După examinarea bilanțului de acțiune furnizat de guvern care indică măsurile adoptate în vederea executării hotărârii judecătorești, inclusiv informațiile furnizate în ceea ce privește plata satisfacției echitabile acordate de Curte (a se vedea documentul DH-DD(2013)756) fiind asigurat că au fost adoptate toate măsurile prevăzute la art. 46 alineatul (1), DECLAMENTUL PE CARE își îndeplinește funcțiile în temeiul art. 46 alin. (2) din Convenție în acest caz și DECIDE d'écide d'in . ACȚIUNE REPORT (numai în limba engleză) Case Angel Angelov v. Bulgaria Application No. 51343/99, judgment of 15/02/2007 final on 15/05/2007 Convenție violare found The caseta referitoare la lack of access to a scurt due to the unmotivated dismissal of the applicicants micion for review (cassation) by the Supreme Court of Cassation in 1999 (violation of Article 6 1). The violation of the applications rights was aparently due to a judicial mistake leading the Supreme Court of Cassation to believe that his appeal was time-barred. The European Court noted that the order dismissing the applicant.s micion as time-barred could not be seen as a justificad enforcement of a legitimate procedural restriction on the applications right of access to a scurt, ciocause it did not informate the dates on which the relevant time-limit had started to run and expired and the date on which the appeal had been submitted. Individual measures The European Court awarded the applicant just satisfaction in respect of moraly damage sustained. The compensation awarded was transferred to the aplicant account on 2 August 2007. Since 2007 until now, no request for reopening from Angelov has been received in the SupremeProsecution of Cassation. The Supreme Proceedings. By letter of 4 January 2012 of the Plovdiv Regional Court, the Bulgarian authorities were informad that the case-file has been destroyed following the expiration of the period during which a case file is kept in the archive of the court. The absence of the case file makes it imposibil for the Supreme Prosecution of Cassation to file a request to the Supreme Court of Cassation to reopen the case. In these circumstances, no further individual measures are posibil in this case. General Measures Publication and disemination of the judgment The translation of the judgment is available on the Ministry of Justice website at http://www.justice.government.bg/The translation of the judgment was simte to the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Prosecution of Cassation through a circular letter drawing their atention to the main Concluzii of the ECÎRs judgment. By a letter of 9 January 2012, the Supreme Court of Cassation has indicated that the judgment in the case of Angelov had been made available to all the Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation through the internal information system of the court. Practice privind adoptarea deciziilor dismissing requests for reopening of criminal proceedings Reopening of criminal proceedings The reopening of criminal cases mail a procesdure similar to the review process decribed in the Angelov judgment, is currently regulated in Chapter 33 [1] of the Criminal Procedure Code. By a letter of 9 January 2012, the Supreme Court of Cassation has provided a detailed description of its current Practice with respect to the decisions dismissing micions for reopening. The verification of commance with the terms and preconditions for admissibility of the micions is done by each of the three carnepersons of the departments in the criminal divion of the Supreme Court of Cassation. After the verification, instructions shall be make which propus the reopening of procesing or a refuzal to reopen the procesings. If there are grounds for refuz to initiate procesing for reopening, the carneman of the department shall pregăteste an order containing the following details: name of the carneman of the department; the data of provenance of the order; the grounds for neadmissibility and other motives. According to the Criminal Procedure Code, this decision shall not be subject to subsequent control. There is an oportunity for a new referal to the Supreme Court of Cassation, if the reasons for the refuzal are removed. If any inacuracies are detected in the Order, like false circumstations or wrongly calculated deadlines, the person may aply to the President of the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court of Cassation. After verification, the President of the Criminal Division may cancel the order of the carneman of the Department and initiate a reopening of the procedeedings. Such a possibility was available in Practice to the aplicant Angelov after the notification of the order dismissing the micion for revision. In more complex cases, the President of the Criminal Division shall initiate procesings which are heard by a three-judge panel, concording to Art. 426 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Chatter 33 (in the absence of special rules, the rules of cassation proceseding applications). ii. Cassation appeal in criminal proceedings The compliment of the cassation appeal with the formal requirements of the Criminal Procedure Court is to be examined by a judge from the a doua instance Court. If the judge decides that a cassation appeal does not meet the above-mentioned formal requirements, the interested party may appeal his or her or order before a panel of the Suprem Court of Cassation. The established Practice in the areas of law enforcement and drafting of legal actions provides foll guarantees for partis to know the reasons for a refuzal to reopen proceedings and in case of disagreement with them to submit a new application for reopening. Concluzia No other Measures include any legislative amendments seem to be necessary for execution of the judgment. [1] art. 420 (2) Any individual sendvised for a publicly actionable criminal offence who has not been libered from criminal liability with the impozit of an administrativ pedepseshment on grounds of Art. 78a Criminal Code may alone extend a request for reopening the criminal case in the ipotheses of Art. 422, paragraph 1, item 5. art. 421 (3) The sended person may file a new request under Art. 422, paragraph 1, item 5, within 6 months of the entry into force of the act. Article 422 (1) A criminal case shall be reopened where (...): 4. By virtute of a judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, a violation of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms has been established that has a considerable importantity for the case; 5. Substantial încălcări have been committed under Articol 348, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1-3 under sentințe, decisions, scurt rulings and orders which have not been examined in the curse of cassation proceedings. Art. 424 (1) The request for reopening of the case shall be examined by the Supreme Court of Cassation. Art. 426 The rules for cassation proceedings shall apply, insofar as this Chapter does not contain any special rules.

1177e réunion – 11 septembre 2013

Annexe 5

(Point H46-1)

Résolution CM/ResDH(2013)153

Angel Angelov contre Bulgarie

Exécution de l’arrêt de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme

(Requête n

o

51343/99, arrêt du 15 février 2007, définitif le 15 mai 2007)

(adoptée par le Comité des Ministres le 11 septembre 2013,

lors de la 1177e réunion des Délégués des Ministres)

Le Comité des Ministres, en vertu de l’article 46, paragraphe 2, de la Convention de sauvegarde des droits de l’homme et des libertés fondamentales, qui prévoit que le Comité surveille l’exécution des arrêts définitifs de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme (ci-après nommées «

la Convention

» et «

la Cour

»),

Vu l’arrêt définitif, qui a été transmis par la Cour au Comité dans l’affaire ci-dessus et la violation constatée

;

Rappelant l’obligation de l’Etat défendeur, en vertu de l’article 46, paragraphe

1, de la Convention, de se conformer aux arrêts définitifs dans les litiges auxquels il est partie et que cette obligation implique, outre le paiement de la satisfaction équitable octroyée par la Cour, l’adoption par les autorités de l’Etat défendeur, si

nécessaire

:

-

de mesures individuelles pour mettre fin aux violations constatées et en effacer les conséquences, dans la mesure du possible par

restitutio in integrum

;

et

-

de mesures générales permettant de prévenir des violations semblables ;

Ayant invité le gouvernement de l’Etat défendeur à informer le Comité des mesures prises pour se conformer à l’obligation susmentionnée

;

Ayant examiné le bilan d’action fourni par le gouvernement indiquant les mesures adoptées afin d’exécuter l’arrêt, y compris les informations fournies en ce qui concerne le paiement de la satisfaction équitable octroyée par la Cour (voir document

DH-DD(2013)756

)

;

S’étant assuré que toutes les mesures requises par l’article 46, paragraphe 1, ont été adoptées,

DECLARE qu’il a rempli ses fonctions en vertu de l’article 46, paragraphe 2, de la Convention dans cette affaire et

DECIDE d’en clore l’examen.

ACTION REPORT (anglais uniquement)

Case Angel Angelov v. Bulgaria

Application No. 51343/99, judgment of 15/02/2007, final on 15/05/2007

1.

Convention violation found

The case concerns the lack of access to a court due to the unmotivated dismissal of the applicant’s petition for review (cassation) by the Supreme Court of Cassation in 1999 (violation of Article 6

§

1). The violation of the applicant’s rights was apparently due to a judicial mistake leading the Supreme Court of Cassation to believe that his appeal was time-barred.

The European Court noted that the order dismissing the applicant’s petition as time-barred could not be seen as a justified enforcement of a legitimate procedural limitation on the applicant’s right of access to a court, because it did not indicate the dates on which the relevant time-limit had started to run and expired and the date on which the appeal had been submitted.

2.

Individual measures

The European Court awarded the applicant just satisfaction in respect of non-pecuniary damage sustained. The compensation awarded was transferred to the applicant’s account on 2 August 2007.

Since 2007 until now, no request for reopening from Angel Angelov has been received in the Supreme Prosecution of Cassation. The Supreme Prosecutor’s Office of Cassation has not requested the reopening of the proceedings. By letter of 4 January 2012 of the Plovdiv Regional Court, the Bulgarian authorities were informed that the case-file has been destroyed following the expiration of the period during which a case file is kept in the archives of the court. The absence of the case file makes it impossible for the Supreme Prosecution of Cassation to file a request to the Supreme Court of Cassation to reopen the case.

In these circumstances, no further individual measures are possible in this case.

3.

General measures

a)

Publication and dissemination of the judgment

The translation of the judgment is available on the Ministry of Justice website at http://www.justice.government.bg/

The translation of the judgment was sent to the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Prosecution of Cassation through a circular letter drawing their attention to the main conclusions of the ECHR’s judgment.

By a letter of 9 January 2012, the Supreme Court of Cassation has indicated that the judgment in the case of Angel Angelov had been made available to all the judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation through the internal information system of the court.

b)

Practice concerning decisions dismissing requests for reopening of criminal proceedings

i.

Reopening of criminal proceedings

The reopening of criminal cases – a procedure similar to the review proceedings described in the Angel Angelov judgment, is currently regulated in Chapter 33

[1]

of the Criminal Procedure Code.

By a letter of 9 January 2012, the Supreme Court of Cassation has provided a detailed description of its current practice with respect to the decisions dismissing petitions for reopening.

The verification of compliance with the terms and preconditions for admissibility of the petitions is done by each of the three chairpersons of the departments in the criminal division of the Supreme Court of Cassation. After the verification, instructions shall be made which propose the reopening of proceedings or a refusal to reopen the proceedings. If there are grounds for refusal to initiate proceedings for reopening, the chairman of the department shall prepare an order containing the following details: name of the chairman of the department; the date of issuance of the order; the grounds for inadmissibility and other motives. According to the Criminal Procedure Code, this decision shall not be subject to subsequent control. There is an opportunity for a new referral to the Supreme Court of Cassation, if the reasons for the refusal are removed.

If any inaccuracies are detected in the order, like false circumstances or wrongly calculated deadlines, the person may apply to the President of the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court of Cassation. After verification, the President of the Criminal Division may cancel the order of the chairman of the Department and initiate a reopening of the proceedings. Such a possibility was available in practice to the applicant Angelov after the notification of the order dismissing the petition for revision.

In more complex cases, the President of the Criminal Division shall initiate proceedings which are heard by a three-judge panel, according to Art. 426 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Chapter 33 (in the absence of special rules, the rules of cassation proceedings apply).

ii.

Cassation appeal in criminal proceedings

The compliance of the cassation appeal with the formal requirements of the Criminal Procedure Court is to be examined by a judge from the second instance court. If the judge decides that a cassation appeal does not meet the above-mentioned formal requirements, the interested party may appeal his or her order before a panel of the Supreme Court of Cassation.

The established practice in the areas of law enforcement and drafting of legal acts provides full guarantees for parties to know the reasons for a refusal to reopen proceedings and in case of disagreement with them to submit a new application for reopening.

Conclusion

No other measures including any legislative amendments seem to be necessary for execution of the judgment.

[1]

Article 420 (2) Any individual sentenced for a publicly actionable criminal offence who has not been exempted from criminal liability with the imposition of an administrative punishment on grounds of Art. 78a Criminal Code may alone extend a request for reopening the criminal case in the hypotheses of Art. 422, paragraph 1, item 5.

Article 421 (3) The sentenced person may file a new request under Art. 422, paragraph 1, item 5, within six months of the entry into force of the respective act.

Article 422 (1) A criminal case shall be reopened where (…):

Art. 424 (1) The request for reopening of the case shall be examined by the Supreme Court of Cassation.

Art. 426 The rules for cassation proceedings shall apply, insofar as this Chapter does not contain any special rules.