CEDH · PRESS;HEARINGS;ENG — 17 octobre 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 } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .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 } .sBE975F9 { width:33.32pt; display:inline-block } .s4683E469 { width:5.56pt; display:inline-block } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt } .sB4D5CB4E { width:4.94pt; display:inline-block } .sC5412BEF { width:51.05pt; display:inline-block } .s85226119 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s7A5A2521 { font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s2CE7C1B9 { font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; font-style:italic } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s653E6C45 { font-family:Arial; font-size:6.67pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS     732   17.10.2000   Press release issued by the Registrar   HEARING IN THE CASE OF STANKOV AND UNITED MACEDONIAN ORGANISATION ILINDEN v. BULGARIA   Tuesday, 17 October 2000 at 9.30 a.m.     The applicants   The case concerns an application brought by Boris Stankov, a Bulgarian national, who was born in 1926 and lives in Petrich, Bulgaria, and by an association, the United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden. The association is represented by its chairman, Iordan Kostadinov Ivanov, a Bulgarian national living in Sandanski, Bulgaria.   Summary of the facts   On several occasions in 1994, 1995 and 1997 either the applicant association or Mr Stankov, as president of the Petrich branch of the association, tried to hold meetings and marches in commemoration of certain historical events. The local mayors concerned imposed prohibitions on each occasion.   The ensuing appeals to the local district courts were dismissed on the merits three times. In one case the appeal was allegedly never examined. Another appeal was rejected on procedural grounds.     Twice, where the authorities dealt with the merits of the dispute, they relied on the fact that the applicant association had been refused registration and was not a legitimate organisation. The association had been refused registration by the Supreme Court (judgments of 1990 and 1991) on the ground, among other things, that the association posed a threat to Bulgaria’s territorial integrity.   On another occasion the commemorative meeting was banned on the ground that the director of the local high school had already requested authorisation to organise a commemorative gathering at the same site.   The prohibition to hold a meeting on 2 August 1997 was upheld by the District Court on the basis that, the applicant association not being registered, it was unclear who was organising the meeting, which endangered public order.   Supporters of the applicant association attempted to hold the meetings at the historical sites despite the prohibitions. On several occasions they were either prevented from approaching the sites by the police or only allowed to approach without the banners and slogans they were carrying.   Complaints   The applicants complain that the bans on their marches and meetings violated their right to freedom of association guaranteed under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.   Procedure   The applications were lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 29 July 1994 and were subsequently amended. The Commission declared the applications partly admissible on 29 June 1998. The case was transferred to the European Court of Human Rights on 1 November 1998.   Composition of the Court   The case will be heard by a Chamber of seven judges composed as follows:   Elisabeth Palm (Swedish), President , Wilhelmina Thomassen (Dutch), Luigi Ferrari Bravo [1] (Italian), Josep Casadevall (Andorran), Boštjan Zupančič (Slovenian), Tudor Panţîru (Moldovan), Snejana Botoucharova (Bulgarian), judges , Riza Türmen (Turkish), Rait Maruste (Estonian), substitute judges ,   and also Michael O’Boyle , Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government:   Galina Samaras , Agent ,   Applicants:   Laurent Hincker , Counsel, Marie Lemaitre , Adviser.   The applicant association’s representative, Mr Ivanov will also 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 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. [1] Judge elected in respect of San Marino.