At its last meeting (Monday 19 October 2015), the Grand Chamber panel of five judges decided to refer the following case to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights: Lupeni Greek Catholic Parish and Others v. Romania (application no. 76943/11), concerning the restitution of places of worship belonging to the Greek Catholic Church which were transferred to the Orthodox Church under the totalitarian regime, and more specifically the question of the application of a special law to determine the legal status of such property. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Grand Chamber Panel’s decision – Lupeni Greek Catholic Parish and Others v. Romania (application no. 76943/11)
20. Oktober 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherEGMR: Television broadcast showing non-blurred image of an individual obtained using a hidden camera entailed a violation of his privacy
13. Oktober 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherIn today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Bremner v. Turkey (application no. 37428/06) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case concerned the broadcasting of a television documentary in which the applicant, Mr Bremner, who was shown promoting his evangelical Christian beliefs, was described as a “foreign pedlar of religion” engaged in covert activities in Turkey. The Court found in particular that the broadcasting of Mr Bremner’s image without blurring it could not be regarded as a contribution to any debate of general interest for society, regardless of the degree of public interest in the question of religious proselytising. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on Tuesday 13 October 2015 – Bremner v. Turkey (no. 37428/06)
9. Oktober 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Dion Ross Bremner, is an Australian national who was born in 1967 and lives in Strathfield (Australia). The case concerns the broadcasting of a television documentary in which Mr Bremner appears as a “foreign pedlar of religion” engaged in secret activities in Turkey. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Sanatkar v. Romania (no. 74721/12)
16. Juli 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Hakan Sanatkar, is a Turkish national who was born in 1959 and lives in Dobroieşti, in Ilfov County (Romania). The case concerned his conditions of detention. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on Thursday 16 July 2015 – Sanatkar v. Romania (no. 74721/12)
8. Juli 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Hakan Sanatkar, is a Turkish national who was born in 1959 and lives in Dobroieşti, in Ilfov County (Romania). The case concerns his conditions of detention and the practice of his religion in prison. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Grand Chamber hearing in a case concerning the refusal of a request for provision of a special religious public service for Alevis
3. Juni 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe European Court of Human Rights is holding a Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Doğan and Others v. Turkey (application no. 62649/10). The applicants are 203 Turkish nationals who belong to the Alevi faith. The case concerns the rejection of the request made by the applicants, who belong to the Alevi faith, for provision of a religious public service which, they maintain, has been granted to date exclusively to the majority of citizens, who subscribe to the Sunni understanding of Islam. They contend that they have been discriminated against compared with citizens who follow the Sunni branch of Islam. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Grand Chamber hearing in the case Doğan and Others v. Turkey (application no. 62649/10)
1. Juni 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicants are 203 Turkish nationals who belong to the Alevi faith. The case concerns the rejection of the request made by the applicants, who belong to the Alevi faith, for provision of a religious public service which, they maintain, has been granted to date exclusively to the majority of citizens, who subscribe to the Sunni understanding of Islam. They contend that they have been discriminated against compared with citizens who follow the Sunni branch of Islam. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Action for recovery of possession of a former Uniate Church place of worship – Right of access to court was respected but length of proceedings was excessive
19. Mai 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe European Court of Human Rights delivered its Chamber judgment in the case of Greek-Catholic Parish of Lupeni and Others v. Romania (application no. 76943/11). The case concerned the restitution of places of worship belonging to the Greek-Catholic Church which were transferred to the Orthodox Church under the totalitarian regime, and more specifically the question of the application of a special law to determine the legal status of such property. The Court held, unanimously, that there had been no violation of Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair hearing) of the European Convention on Human Rights as regards the right of access to a court and the question of legal certainty, a violation of Article 6 § 1 concerning the length of proceedings, and no violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) in conjunction with Article 6 § 1 (right of access to a court). Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on Tuesday 19 May 2015 – Greek-Catholic Parish of Lupeni and Others v. Romania (no. 76943/11)
13. Mai 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicants are the Greek-Catholic Parish of Lupeni (Romania), the Greek-Catholic Diocese of Lugoj (Romania) and the Greek-Catholic Archpriesthood of Lupeni. They belong to the Eastern-Rite Catholic (Greek-Catholic or Uniate) Church. The case concerns the restitution of religious sites belonging to the Greek-Catholic Church which were transferred to the Orthodox Church under the totalitarian regime, and more specifically the issue of implementing special legislation to determine the legal status of such property. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Case against Sweden concerning failed asylum seeker facing expulsion
8. April 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherIn today’s Grand Chamber judgments in the case of W.H. v. Sweden (application no. 49341/10) concerning a failed asylum seeker facing expulsion the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that it was appropriate to strike her application out of its list of cases. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming Grand Chamber judgment concerning failed asylum seeker in Sweden facing expulsion – W.H. v. Sweden
2. April 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe European Court of Human Rights will deliver in writing a Grand Chamber judgment in the case of W.H. v. Sweden (application no. 49341/10) on 8 April 2015 at 11.00 a.m. W.H. v. Sweden concerns an asylum seeker’s threatened expulsion from Sweden to Iraq, where she alleges she would be at risk of ill-treatment as a single woman of Mandaean denomination, a vulnerable ethnic/religious minority. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Karaahmed v. Bulgaria (no. 30587/13)
24. Februar 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Veli Karaahmed, is a Bulgarian national who was born in 1976 and lives in Sofia. His case concerned a demonstration by members of the Ataka political party outside the Banya Bashi Mosque in Sofia and the official investigations into this incident. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on Tuesday 24 February 2015 – Karaahmed v. Bulgaria (no. 30587/13)
18. Februar 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Veli Karaahmed, is a Bulgarian national who was born in 1976 and lives in Sofia. His case concerns a demonstration by members of the Ataka political party outside the Banya Bashi Mosque in Sofia and the official investigations into this incident. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Dimitrova v. Bulgaria (application no. 15452/07)
10. Februar 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Petya Dimitrova, is a Bulgarian national who was born in 1967 and lives in Sofia. The case concerned measures taken by the police against Ms Dimitrova on account of her activities in a religious organisation, and the civil proceedings for damages she had brought as a consequence. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on Tuesday 10 February 2015 – Dimitrova v. Bulgaria (application no. 15452/07)
4. Februar 2015 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, Petya Dimitrova, is a Bulgarian national who was born in 1967 and lives in Sofia. The case concerns measures taken by the police against Ms Dimitrova on account of her activities in a religious organisation, and the civil proceedings for damages she brought as a consequence. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Grand Chamber hearing concerning an Iranian national converted to Christianity in Sweden who is to be expelled to his country of origin
3. Dezember 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe European Court of Human Rights is holding a Grand Chamber hearing today Wednesday 3 December 2014 at 9.15 a.m. in the case of F.G. v. Sweden (application no. 43611/11). The case concerns the refusal of asylum to an Iranian national who alleges that, if expelled to Iran, he would be at a real risk of being persecuted and punished or sentenced to death. The hearing will be broadcast from 2.30 p.m. on the Court’s Internet site (www.echr.coe.int). After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which will be held in private. Its ruling in the case will, however, be made at a later stage. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Denying the Alevi community exemption from electricity bills – granted to places of worship – was discriminatory
2. Dezember 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherIn today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Cumhuriyetçi Eğitim Ve Kültür Merkezi Vakfi v. Turkey (application no. 32093/10) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) taken together with Article 9 (freedom of thought, conscience and religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case concerned the possibility under Turkish law for places of worship to be granted an exemption from paying electricity bills and the refusal to grant this privilege to the applicant foundation. The Court found in particular that the applicant foundation had sustained a difference in treatment without any objective or reasonable justification, and that the system for granting exemptions from payment of electricity bills for places of worship under Turkish law entailed discrimination on the ground of religion. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming hearing on 3 December 2014 at 9.15 a.m.: Grand Chamber hearing in the case F.G. v. Sweden (application no. 43611/11)
28. November 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant, F.G., is an Iranian national who was born in 1962 and is currently in Sweden. He arrived in Sweden in November 2009 claiming asylum. In his initial request for asylum he submitted that he had been politically active against the Iranian regime. He also mentioned that he had converted to Christianity after coming to Sweden but didn’t wish to rely on it as an asylum ground, either before the Migration Board or, on appeal, before the Migration Court, since he considered it a personal matter. Having been refused asylum on political grounds, F.G. requested a stay on his deportation order, relying on his conversion to Christianity as a new circumstance to be taken into consideration. His request was refused by the authorities in a decision which was eventually upheld in November 2011, on the ground that his conversion was not a “new circumstance” which could justify a reexamination of the proceedings. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on 2 December 2014 – Cumhuriyetçi Eğitim Ve Kültür Merkezi Vakfı v. Turkey (no. 32093/10)
26. November 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicant association, Cumhuriyetçi Eğitim Ve Kültür Merkezi Vakfı (Foundation for Republican Education and Culture, hereafter “the Foundation”), is a foundation established under Turkish law, which was set up in 1995 and has charitable status. In this case, the foundation complains about the refusal to exempt it from paying its electricity bills, arguing that national legislation provides for such an exemption for places of worship. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Islam-Ittihad Association and Others v. Azerbaijan (application no. 5548/05)
13. November 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicants are the Islam-Ittihad Association, an NGO with headquarters in Baku, which was active between 1991 and 2003, and Azer Samadov and Ilgar Allahverdiyev, Azerbaijani nationals who were born in 1961 and 1973 respectively and live in Baku. They were the association’s chairman and a member of its management board, respectively. The association’s main activities included the repair and maintenance of mosques, and it engaged in projects aimed at promoting respect for human rights and in a number of humanitarian activities. The case concerned the association’s forced dissolution, which had been ordered by a district court in 2003 in proceedings brought by the Ministry of Justice. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Forthcoming judgment on 13 November 2014 – Islam-Ittihad Association and Others v. Azerbaijan (application no. 5548/05)
5. November 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicants are the Islam-Ittihad Association, an NGO with headquarters in Baku, which was active between 1991 and 2003, and Azer Samadov and Ilgar Allahverdiyev, Azerbaijani nationals who were born in 1961 and 1973 respectively and live in Baku. They were the association’s chairman and a member of its management board, respectively. The association’s main activities included the repair and maintenance of mosques, and it engaged in projects aimed at promoting respect for human rights and in a number of humanitarian activities. The case concerns the association’s forced dissolution, which was ordered by a district court in 2003 in proceedings brought by the Ministry of Justice. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: A company’s inability to challenge the Roman Catholic Church’s entry in the land register relating to property previously registered by the company violated its ownership rights
4. November 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherIn today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Sociedad Anónima del Ucieza v. Spain (application no. 38963/08) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and held by a majority, that there had been a violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention. The case concerned a dispute over ownership of a medieval church between the applicant company, which had purchased and registered in the land register a plot of land in which the church had formed an enclave, and the Diocese of Palencia, which had registered the same church in its own name in the land register sixteen years later. The applicant company therefore considered that it had been unfairly deprived of part of its property for no reason of public interest and without any compensation. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
EGMR: Potomska and Potomski v. Poland (no. 33949/05)
4. November 2014 — Dr. Georg NeureitherThe applicants, Zygmunt Potomski, and his wife, Zofia Potomska, are two Polish nationals who were born in 1937 and 1939 respectively and live in Darłowo (Poland). The case concerned their complaint that they had been prevented from developing land in Rusko which they had bought from the State in 1974 because the authorities subsequently decided to list the property, formerly a Jewish cemetery, in the register of historic monuments. Den Rest des Beitrags lesen »
Religion – Weltanschauung – Recht [ RWR ] 