CEDH · PRESS;HEARINGS;ENG — 16 décembre 2003

.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 } .sCB9E0544 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:left } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s61E420C2 { font-family:Arial; font-variant:small-caps } .s69BE285C { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:85.05pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-85.05pt } .sD086E7B5 { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:70.9pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-70.9pt } .sD515C11A { width:33.98pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .sF86C19C { width:14pt; display:inline-block } .s9F8EB0C0 { width:18.63pt; display:inline-block } .s9E97F54A { width:85.05pt; display:inline-block } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic }   EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS   644 16.12.2003   Press release issued by the Registrar   CHAMBER HEARING ON THE MERITS IN THE CASE OF HIRST v. THE UNITED KINGDOM   Tuesday 16 December 2003 at 9.30 a.m.   The applicant   The case concerns an application (no. 74025/01) brought by a United Kingdom national, John Hirst, who was born in 1950 and is currently serving a sentence of life imprisonment in HM Prison Rye Hill, Warwickshire (the United Kingdom).   Summary of the facts   Mr Hirst complains that, as a convicted prisoner, he is barred from voting in parliamentary and local election by section 3 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.   The applicant issued proceedings in the High Court, seeking a declaration that section 3 of the 1983 Act was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, under section 4 of the United Kingdom Human Rights Act 1998.   Mr Hirst’s application was heard before the Divisional Court on 21   and 22 March 2001, together with the application for judicial review of two other prisoners, who had applied for registration as electors and been refused by the Registration Officer and who also sought a declaration of incompatibility. All three claims were rejected. The applicant appealed unsuccessfully.   Complaints   The applicant complains about being barred from voting under: Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 (right to free elections) to the European Convention on Human Rights; Article 10 (freedom of expression), in that voting is a form of expression which is fundamental to a functioning democracy; and, Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) in conjunction with Article 3 of Protocol No. 1, in that he is discriminated against as a convicted prisoner in the enjoyment of the right to vote.   Procedure   The application was lodged with the European Court of Human Rights on 5 July 2001 and declared partly admissible on 8 July 2003.   Composition of the Court   The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Matti Pellonpää (Finnish), President , Nicolas Bratza (British), Viera Strážnická (Slovakian), Rait Maruste (Estonian), Stanislav Pavlovschi (Moldovan), Lech Garlicki (Polish), Javier Borrego Borrego (Spanish), judges , Marc Fischbach (Luxemburger) , Josep Casadevall (Andorran) , Elisabet Fura-Sandström (Swedish) , substitute judges , and also Michael O’Boyle , Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government :   John Grainger , Agent , Rabinder Singh QC, Nicola Pittam , Counsel , Malcolm Rawlings , Emily Willmott , Advisers,   Applicant :   Flo Krause , Counsel , Elkan Abrahamson , Solicitor .   ***   After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. 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.