CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 18 mai 1999

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .sA1D3DA2E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s94935B0F { width:389.85pt; display:inline-block } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s23A41E03 { width:36pt; display:inline-block } .s71833996 { width:42.55pt; display:inline-block } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sD35C6159 { width:1.54pt; display:inline-block } .sB70F9E4 { width:1.1pt; display:inline-block } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .sA087DB47 { width:19.3pt; display:inline-block } .s9239F696 { width:23.96pt; display:inline-block } .s4598CDF { width:70.9pt; display:inline-block } .sAEB680A3 { width:17.56pt; display:inline-block } .s13CA3E03 { width:34.64pt; display:inline-block } .s8AFB426F { width:32.67pt; display:inline-block } .sF023082F { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:21.3pt; text-align:justify } .s8244B47 { width:21.25pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS       273   18.5.99 Press release issued by the Registrar   HEARING IN THE CASES OF Lustig-Prean and Beckett v. the United Kingdom and Smith and Grady v. the United Kingdom   Tuesday, 18 May 1999, at 9.00am     The applicants     The cases concern applications (application no.   31417/96) brought by four British nationals, Duncan Lustig-Prean, John Beckett, Jeanette Smith and Graeme Grady, who were born in 1959, 1970, 1966 and 1963, respectively. All four live in the United Kingdom.   Summary of the facts     The applicants, who were all members of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, were each the subject of an investigation and interviews concerning their homosexuality. All four admitted their homosexuality and were administratively discharged in line with the armed forces absolute ban on homosexual personnel. The applicants were discharged in January 1995, July 1993, November 1994 and December 1994, respectively. They obtained leave to apply for judicial review of their discharges and in November 1995 the Court of Appeal rejected their applications.   Complaints     The applicants complain that the investigations into their homosexuality and their subsequent discharges violated their right to respect for their private lives, protected by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and that they were discriminatory, contrary to Article 14. Ms Smith and Mr Grady also complain that their investigations and discharges were inhuman and degrading contrary to Article 3 and that they did not have an effective domestic remedy concerning their complaints as required by Article 13. They also invoke Article 10 (freedom of expression).   Procedure     The applications were lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 23April, 11 July, 9 September and 6 September 1996, respectively. On 1 November 1998, in accordance with Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11 to the Convention, the cases were transmitted to the Court.     On 23 February 1999 the Court (Third Section) joined the first two applications and the third and fourth. On the same day the Court also declared the complaints admissible.   Composition of the Court     The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Jean-Paul Costa   (French), President Nicolas Bratza   (British), Loukis Loucaides   (Cypriot), Pranas Kūris   (Lithuanian), Willi Fuhrmann   (Austrian), Hanne Sophie Greve   (Norwegian), Kristaq Traja   (Albanian), Judges Françoise Tulkens   (Belgian), Karel Jungwiert (Czech), Substitute judges   and also Sally Dollé   Section Registrar   Representatives of the parties   Government:       Christopher Whomersley, Agent       James Eadie QC , counsel       Jason Betteley , adviser       Jacqueline Pfieffer , adviser   Mr Lustig-Prean   David Pannick QC , counsel and Mr Beckett:   John Bowers QC , counsel       Stephen Grosz, solicitor       Hilary Larter , solicitor       Angela Mason , adviser   Ms Smith       Ben Emmerson, counsel and Mr Grady   :   Jessica Simor , counsel       Philip Leech , solicitor       Diane Luping , solicitor       Andrew Clapham, adviser     All four applicants will attend the hearing.       After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. Judgment will be delivered at a later date.   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Contact: Roderick Liddell Telephone: (0)3 88 41 24 92; fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91; Or: Emma Hellyer Telephone: (0)3 90 21 42 15.