HADZAJLIC AND OTHERS v. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - 10770/18 (Judgment : Article 6 - Right to a fair trial : Fourth Section Committee) [2020] ECHR 57 (16 January 2020)

JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 16 January 2020 This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision. In the case of Hadžajlić and Others v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of: Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström, President, Georges Ravarani, Jolien Schukking, judges, and Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 12 December 2019, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE 1. The case originated in applications against Bosnia and Herzegovina lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table. 2. The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications. THE FACTS 3. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table. 4. The applicant s complained of the excessive length of civil and administrative proceedings . THE LAW I. JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS 5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment. II. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION 6. The applicants complained that the length of the proceedings in question had been incompatible with the “reasonable time” requirement. They relied on Article 6 § 1 of the Convention, which reads as follows: Article 6 § 1 “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ... everyone is entitled to a ... hearing within a reasonable time by [a] ... tribunal ...” 7. The Court reiterates that the reasonableness of the length of proceedings must be assessed in the light of the circumstances of the case and with reference to the following criteria: the complexity of the case, the conduct of the applicants and the relevant authorities and what was at stake for the applicants in the dispute (see Frydlender v. France [GC], no. 30979/96 , § 43, ECHR 2000-VII). 8. In the leading cases of Scordino v. Italy (no. 1) [GC], no. 36813/97 , §§ 134-227, ECHR 2006-V, and Dorić v. Bosnia and Herzegovina [Committee], no. 68811/13 , 7 November 2017, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case. 9. Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion on the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the length of the proceedings was excessive and failed to meet the “reasonable time” requirement. 10. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention. III. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION 11. Article 41 of the Convention provides: “If the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to the injured party.” 12. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see, in particular, Scordino v. Italy (no. 1) [GC], no. 36813/97 , §§ 260-73, ECHR 2006-V, and Dorić v. Bosnia and Herzegovina [Committee], no. 68811/13 , 7 November 2017), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table. 13. The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest rate should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank, to which should be added three percentage points. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT , UNANIMOUSLY, 1. Decides to join the applications; 2. Declares the applications admissible; 3. Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the excessive length of civil and administrative proceedings; 4. Holds (a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date of settlement; (b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points. Done in English, and notified in writing on 16 January 2020, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court. Liv Tigerstedt Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström Acting Deputy Registrar President APPENDIX List of applications raising complaints under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention (excessive length of civil and/or administrative proceedings ) No. Application no. Date of introduction Applicant’s name Date of birth Representative’s name and location Start of proceedings or date of entry into force of the Convention in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina (12 July 2002) End of proceedings Total length Levels of jurisdiction Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage per applicant (in euros) [1] [2] Amount awarded for costs and expenses per application (in euros) [3] 10770/18 20/02/2018 Alija HADŽAJLIĆ 12/07/1956 Milošević Miroslav Ruma 12/07/2002 pending More than 17 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 9 day(s) 1 level(s) of jurisdiction 5,900 17023/18 26/03/2018 Bahrudin ARIFOVIĆ 26/03/1956 Salkanović Haris Živinice 29/07/2004 07/09/2015 11 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 10 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction 3,600 36786/18 19/07/2018 Slobodan NIKOLIĆ 01/05/1945 Poropat Senija Sarajevo 20/06/2005 pending More than 14 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 1 day(s) 1 level(s) of jurisdiction 6,600 [1] . Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants. [2] . Less any amounts which may have already been paid in that regard at the domestic level. [3] . Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants. BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Donate to BAILII