CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 27 mai 2004

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .s5FFF0A77 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:1pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s40F41F73 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s9793A85B { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .sCB9E0544 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:left } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s653E6C45 { font-family:Arial; font-size:6.67pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .s61E420C2 { font-family:Arial; font-variant:small-caps } .s69BE285C { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:85.05pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-85.05pt } .s9A223E1B { width:11.03pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s595A57E4 { width:85.05pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s3CED24E9 { width:27.05pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s9F8EB0C0 { width:18.63pt; display:inline-block } .s9E97F54A { width:85.05pt; display:inline-block } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s33165EBA { font-family:Arial; font-size:8pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .s4B8D41EE { font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt }   EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS   263 27.5.2004   Press release issued by the Registrar   CHAMBER HEARING BALLIU v. ALBANIA   The European Court of Human Rights is holding a Chamber hearing today, Thursday 27 May 2004 at 9.30 a.m., on the admissibility and the merits in the case of Balliu v. Albania (application no. 74727/01).   The applicant   The case concerns an application brought by an Albanian national, Taulant Balliu, who was born in 1971 and is currently detained in Bence-Tepelenë High Security Prison (Albania).   Summary of the facts   In the context of criminal proceedings against the armed gangs created during the political turmoil in Albania from March to September 1997, the applicant was charged with being one of the founders of the “Kateshi Gang”. The gang, which was organised as a military commando, was financed through the extortion of money from local businesses. It was set up to avenge the murder of friends who had died as a result of gang warfare.   In 1999 Durres District Court convicted the applicant of five counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, one count of possession of military arms and one count of creating and participating in an armed gang. At public hearings before Durres District Court, on 25 June 1999, 13   September 1999 and 10 December 1999, the applicant was represented by a lawyer. However, he had no legal assistance from 10   December 1999 to 15 February 2000. The applicant claims that, at the hearings held during that period, the public prosecutor’s office summoned witnesses against him, questioned witnesses and produced other evidence against him. He further claims that, despite having made a request to the court, he was without defence counsel when the parties made their final submissions.   On 15 February 2000 he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. On 19 April 2000 the Court of Appeal upheld the decision and the sentence of life imprisonment. The applicant appealed unsuccessfully.   Complaints   He complained that he did not have a fair trial, because he had no defence counsel and was unable to have witnesses who were present examined or have witnesses or experts called on his behalf. He relies on Article 6 §§ 1 and 3 c) and d) (right to a fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights.   Procedure   The application was lodged on 3 August 2001 with the European Court of Human Rights.   Composition of the Court   The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Georg Ress (German), President , Ireneu Cabral Barreto (Portuguese), Lucius Caflisch (Swiss) [1] , John Hedigan (Irish), Hanne Sophie Greve (Norwegian), Kristaq Traja (Albanian), Alvina Gyulumyan (Armenian), judges , Boštjan Zupančič (Slovenian) , Margarita Tsatsa-Nikolovska (Macedonian) , substitute judges , and also Mark Villiger , Deputy Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government :   Sokol Puto , Agent ,   Ledi Bjanku , Counsel ,   Holta Meçaj , Legal Assistant ;   Applicant :   Paolo Pavarini , Counsel ,   Qazim Gjonaj ,   Baftjar Rusi ,   Luca Giabardo , Advisers.   After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. A decision on admissibility, followed if appropriate by a judgment, will be delivered at a later date.   ***   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Press contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 24 92)   Emma Hellyer (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 90 21 42 15)   Stéphanie Klein (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 21 54) Fax: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 27 91   The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. Since 1 November 1998 it has sat as a full-time Court composed of an equal number of judges to that of the States party to the Convention. The Court examines the admissibility and merits of applications submitted to it. It sits in Chambers of 7 judges or, in exceptional cases, as a Grand Chamber of 17 judges. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supervises the execution of the Court’s judgments. More detailed information about the Court and its activities can be found on its Internet site. [1] Judge in respect of Liechtenstein.