CEDH · PRESS;HEARINGS;ENG — 15 juin 2000

.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 } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .sD35C6159 { width:1.54pt; display:inline-block } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s4598CDF { width:70.9pt; display:inline-block } .s38DD6A04 { width:18.2pt; display:inline-block } .sCB27B9E { width:16.66pt; display:inline-block } .sC5412BEF { width:51.05pt; display:inline-block } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS         436   15.6.2000   Press release issued by the Registrar   HEARING IN THE CASE OF PULLICINO v. MALTA   Thursday, 15 June 2000 at 9 a.m.     The applicant   The case concerns an application brought by a Maltese national, Lawrence Pullicino, who was born in 1944. He is currently serving a prison sentence in Malta.   Summary of the facts   The applicant, a former Chief Police Commissioner, stood trial on a charge of wilful homicide. The trial and appeal proceedings received much attention in the media as well as political circles. Before giving his testimony, the trial judge ordered the confiscation of the notes which the applicant had been compiling on the evidence adduced at the trial against him. The applicant was eventually convicted of being an accomplice to the offence of causing bodily harm resulting in death and sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment. The applicant appealed against his conviction on the grounds, among other things, that he had been denied a fair trial on account of the decision to confiscate his notes, the prejudicial impact of media publicity on the fairness of the trial and the alleged lack of impartiality of the trial judge. The Court of Criminal Appeal, the First Hall of the Civil Court and ultimately the Constitutional Court rejected his appeal.   Complaints   The applicant complains that his right to a fair trial guaranteed under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights has been breached in several respects.   Procedure   The application was lodged on 23 December 1998. On 9 March 2000, the Court (Second Section) decided to hold a hearing on the admissibility and merits of the applicant’s complaints. Composition of the Court   The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Christos Rozakis (Greek), President , Benedetto Conforti (Italian), Viera Strážnická (Slovakian), Peer Lorenzen (Danish), Marc Fischbach (Luxemburger), Margarita Tsatsa-Nikolovska (FYROMacedonia), Judges , Patrick Vella , (Maltese), ad hoc Judge , András Baka (Hungarian), Anatoly Kovler (Russian), Egils Levits (Latvian), Substitute Judges ,   and also Erik Fribergh, Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government:   Anthony Borg Barthet , Attorney General, Agent ,   Silvio Camilleri , Deputy Attorney General ,   and Lawrence Quintano , Senior Counsel ;   Applicant:   Marse-Ann Farrugia and Joseph Galea Debono , Counsel .   ***   After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private.   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: (0)3 88 41 24 92)   Emma Hellyer (telephone: (0)3 90 21 42 15) Fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91   The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. On 1 November 1998 a full-time Court was established, replacing the original two-tier system of a part-time Commission and Court.