CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 2 juin 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 } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s33165EBA { font-family:Arial; font-size:8pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sD35C6159 { width:1.54pt; display:inline-block } .s4598CDF { width:70.9pt; display:inline-block } .s38DD6A04 { width:18.2pt; display:inline-block } .s37CDBE05 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s75E6A93A { width:13.33pt; display:inline-block } .sB161EF63 { width:44.7pt; display:inline-block } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS     303   2.6.1999     Press release issued by the Registrar     HEARING IN THE CASE OF WILLE v. LIECHTENSTEIN     Wednesday, 2 June 1999, 9 a.m.     The applicant     The case concerns an application (application no.   28396/95) brought by a Liechtenstein national, Herbert Wille, who was born in 1944 and lives in Balzers.   Summary of the facts     On 16 February 1995, in the context of a series of lectures on questions of constitutional jurisdiction and fundamental rights, the applicant gave a public lecture at the Liechtenstein-Institut, a research institute, on the “Nature and Functions of the Liechtenstein Constitutional Court”.   In the course of the lecture, the applicant expressed the view that the Constitutional Court was competent to decide on the “interpretation of the Constitution in case of disagreement between the Prince (Government) and the Diet”.   This lecture was reported in the local press.     On 27 February 1995 the Prince addressed a letter to the applicant concerning the above lecture.   The Prince disagreed with the applicant’s statement on the competence of the Constitutional Court and also noted an earlier political controversy.   He continued that he had reason to believe that the applicant expressed opinions which clearly infringed the Constitution and that he did not feel bound by the Constitution.   The applicant was, therefore, disqualified from holding public office.   The Prince wished to inform him in good time that he would not appoint him to public office, should he be proposed by the Diet or any other body.   In his reply of 20 March 1995, the applicant explained his legal opinion and complained that the Prince’s announcement interfered with his rights to freedom of expression and freedom to express academic opinions.     In a further letter to the applicant dated 4 April 1995, the Prince replied that he had attempted to avoid a public discussion in informing the applicant about his decision as early as possible in a personal letter.     In April 1997 the applicant was proposed by the Liechtenstein Diet for a further term of office as President of the Administrative Court.   However, the Prince did not appoint him.   Complaints     The applicant complains that the prince’s letter of 27 February 1995 informing him that he would not appoint him to public office, should he be proposed by the Diet or any other body, violated his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 10 of the Convention.   He further complains under Articles 6 and 13 of the Convention that he had no remedy to defend his reputation and to seek protection of his personal rights.   Procedure     The application was lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 25 August 1995. Having found the application admissible, the Commission adopted a report on 17 September 1998 in which it expressed the opinion that there had been a violation of Article   10 of the Convention (fifteen votes to four), a violation of Article 13 of the Convention (sixteen votes to three), that it was not necessary to determine whether there has been a violation of Article 6 of the Convention and that no separate issue arose under Article 14 in conjunction with Article 10 of the Convention (seventeen to two). It referred the case to the Court on 24 October 1998. The Liechtenstein Government also brought the case before the Court.   Composition of the Court     Under the transitional provisions of Protocol No. 11 to the Convention, the case was transmitted to the Grand Chamber of the new European Court of Human Rights on the entry into force of the Protocol, on 1 November 1998. It will be heard by the Grand Chamber composed as follows:   Elisabeth Palm   (Swedish), President , Christos Rozakis   (Greek), Luigi Ferrari Bravo   (Italian) [1] , Georg Ress   (German), Lucius Caflisch   (Swiss) [2] , Ireneu Cabral Barreto   (Portuguese), Jean-Paul Costa   (French), Willi Fuhrmann   (Austrian), Karel Jungwiert   (Czech), Boštjan Zupančič   (Slovenian), Nina Vajić   (Croatian), John Hedigan   (Irish), Wilhelmina Thomassen   (Dutch), Margarita Tsatsa-Nikolovska   (FYROMacedonia), Tudor Pantiru   (Moldovan), Egils Levits   (Latvian), Kristaq Traja   (Albanian), Judges Marc Fischbach   (Luxemburger), Rait Maruste   (Estonian), Corneliu Bîrsan   (Romanian), Substitute Judges   and also Maud de   Boer-Buquicchio , Deputy Registrar .     Representatives of the parties   Government:   Heribert Golsong , Co-agent   Norbert Marxer , counsel   Torsten Stein , counsel   Michael Walker , counsel   Applicant:   Wolfgang Seeger , counsel .   Andreas Kley , counsel .     Mr Wille will also attend the hearing.     The European Commission of Human Rights will not be represented.     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 Contacts :   Roderick Liddell (telephone : (0)3 88 41 24 92) or   Emma Hellyer (telephone: (0)3 90 21 42 15)r Fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91   [1] Judge elected in respect of San Marino [2] Judge elected in respect of Liechtenstein