CEDH · CASELAW;COMMUNICATEDCASES;ENG — 5 décembre 2022

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .s379BC09C { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s10950C61 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s5E1364CA { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .s339D85E6 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:14pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s665E407E { margin-top:66pt; margin-bottom:14pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .s23860FF7 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:center } .s3F59B822 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; text-transform:uppercase } .sA1D3DA2E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .sC7FB4098 { width:113.82%; border-collapse:collapse } .sA4EE11AB { width:6.8%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s2EF62ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt } .sEECE831 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; color:#474747 } .s231DF3A0 { width:48.44%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s8DB3563B { width:13.6%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s71943AAA { width:16.3%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .sD10C8DD8 { width:14.88%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .sE20D65F2 { width:6.8%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sC6FB0C0A { width:48.44%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s4F53E219 { width:13.6%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s9CFA3247 { width:16.3%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sEF244201 { width:14.88%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } Published on 2 January 2023   THIRD SECTION Application no. 31387/17 ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH and Others against Bulgaria lodged on 18 April 2017 communicated on 5 December 2022 SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE The application concerns a refusal on the part of the national courts to register as a religious denomination the first applicant, the Orthodox Christian Church – a religious community identifying itself as Eastern Orthodox, but distancing itself from the official Orthodox church on doctrinal and political grounds. The refusal was due to the similarity of its name with that of the official Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and to the latter being considered by law as the only representative of Eastern Orthodoxy in Bulgaria. The final domestic judgment in the registration proceedings was given on 6 December 2016. The applicants – the Orthodox Christian Church itself, its head and one of its members – complain under Article 9 of the Convention, interpreted in the light of Article 11. QUESTION TO THE PARTIES Has there been an interference with the applicants’ freedom of religion, within the meaning of Article 9 § 1 of the Convention, read in the light of Article 11? If so, was that interference prescribed by law and necessary in terms of Article 9 § 2?   APPENDIX     List of applicants     No. Applicant’s Name Year of birth/ founding Nationality Place of residence/ official seat 1. ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH   2016 Bulgarian Gabrovo 2. Hristo Petrov SABEV 1946 Bulgarian Veliko Tarnovo 3. Krasimir Stanchev ATANASOV   1969 Bulgarian Sevlievo