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EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

FIRST CHAMBER

Application No. 18696/91

Mezhar Abu Shaer

against

Austria

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

(adopted on 18 October 1995)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

PART I : STATEMENT OF THE FACTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

PART II : SOLUTION REACHED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

INTRODUCTION

1. This Report relates to the application introduced under

Article 25 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human

Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by Mezhar Abu Shaer against Austria on

14 June 1991. It was registered on 20 August 1991 under file

No. 18696/91.

The applicant was originally represented by Mr. H. Esterbauer,

a lawyer practising in Salzburg.

The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent,

Ambassador F. Cede, Head of the International Law Department at the

Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2. The application relates to the applicant's complaints under

Article 5 of the Convention about his arrest and detention on remand.

On 18 October 1994 the Commission (First Chamber) declared the

application admissible insofar as it related to the applicant's

complaint that he was not brought promptly before a judge competent to

order his release within the meaning of Article 5 para. 3 of the

Convention.

3. The Commission then proceeded to carry out its task under

Article 28 para. 1 of the Convention which provides as follows:

"In the event of the Commission accepting a petition referred to

it:

a. it shall, with a view to ascertaining the facts, undertake

together with the representatives of the parties an examination

of the petition and, if need be, an investigation, for the

effective conduct of which the States concerned shall furnish all

necessary facilities, after an exchange of views with the

Commission;

b. it shall at the same time place itself at the disposal of

the parties concerned with a view to securing a friendly

settlement of the matter on the basis of respect for Human Rights

as defined in this Convention."

4. The Commission (First Chamber) found that the parties had reached

a friendly settlement of the case and on 18 October 1995 it adopted

this Report, which, in accordance with Article 28 para. 2 of the

Convention, is confined to a brief statement of the facts and of the

solution reached.

The following members were present when the Report was adopted:

MM. C.L. ROZAKIS, President

E. BUSUTTIL

A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK

A. WEITZEL

M.P. PELLONPÄÄ

B. MARXER

G.B. REFFI

B. CONFORTI

I. BÉKÉS

E. KONSTANTINOV

G. RESS

A. PERENIC

C. BÎRSAN

K. HERNDL

PART I

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

5. The applicant, born in 1942, was an Austrian national and

resident in Salzburg. He died on 21 March 1994.

6. On 21 December 1990 the duty Judge (Journalrichter) of the Vienna

Regional Court (Landesgericht) issued an oral warrant of arrest against

the applicant on the ground that he had uttered dangerous threats

(gefährliche Drohung) and on account of a danger of committing a

criminal offence (Tatbegehungsgefahr).

7. On 24 December 1990 the applicant was arrested in Salzburg and

remanded on custody.

8. On 26 December 1990 the applicant was heard by the Duty Judge at

the Salzburg Regional Court. The Duty Judge telephoned a Duty Judge

at the Vienna Regional Court whereupon, the Vienna Duty Judge decided

to institute preliminary investigations against the applicant inter

alia on account of damage to objects and to order his detention on

remand. On the same day, 26 December 1990, the Vienna Regional Court

issued a decision confirming the applicant's detention on remand.

9. On 3 January 1991, the applicant was transferred to the Vienna

Regional Court's Detention Centre.

10. On Monday, 14 January 1991, the applicant was heard by the

investigating judge at the Vienna Regional Court. Following a further

hearing on 16 January 1991 the applicant was released from detention.

PART II

SOLUTION REACHED

11. Following the decision on the admissibility of the application,

the Commission (First Chamber) placed itself at the disposal of the

parties with a view to securing a friendly settlement in accordance

with Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention and invited the parties

to submit any proposals they wished to make.

12. In accordance with the usual practice, the Chamber Secretary,

acting on the Commission's instructions, contacted the parties to

explore the possibilities of reaching a friendly settlement.

13. By letters of 16 June and 17 July 1995, respectively, the

respondent Government and the applicant informed the Commission that

they had agreed on the terms of a friendly settlement, and submitted

the following declaration.

"Statement of the parties with a view to a friendly settlement"

With reference to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the European

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,

the parties in the proceedings concerning Application No. 18696/91,

lodged by Mezhar Abu Shaer, declare with a view to a friendly

settlement, reached with the assistance of the European Commission of

Human Rights, as follows:

1. The Government of the Republic of Austria will pay to the

applicant's estate a sum amounting to altogether AS 5,000 as

compensation in respect of any possible claims relating to the

present application. This sum includes the fees and expenses

incurred in the proceedings before the Commission.

This amount will be paid to the administrator of the

bankrupt estate of Mezhar Abu Shaer, file No. 23 S 116/95 at the

Salzburg Regional Court acting as Commercial Court, Mr. Mag.

Christian Posch, Petersbrunnstrasse 1a, 5020 Salzburg on the

estate's account No. 0996-36136/00 at the Creditanstalt-

Bankverein.

2. The applicant's estate declares the above mentioned

application settled.

3. The applicant's estate waives any further claims against

the Republic of Austria relating to the present application."

"Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung

In der Beschwerdesache Nr. 18696/91 des Herrn Mezhar Abu Shaer

einigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf Artikel 28 Abs. 1 lit

b der Europäischen Konvention zum Schutze der Menschenrechte unde

Grundfreiheiten und unter Mitwirkung der Europäischen Kommission für

Menschenrechte auf die nachstehende gütliche Regelung:

1. Die österreichische Regierung zahlt der Verlassenschaft des

Beschwerdeführers als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaigen Ansprüche

im Zusammenhang mit der vorliegenden Beschwerde einen

Gesamtbetrag von öS 5,000. Dieser Betrag umfaßt die Gebühren und

Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der Kommission

entstanden sind.

Dieser Betrag wird an den Masseverwalter im Verlassen-

schaftskonkurs Mezhar Abu Shaer zu 23 S 116/95 des Landes- als

Handelsgerichtes Salzburg, Herrn Rechtsanwalt Mag. Christian

Posch, Petersbrunnstrasse 1a, 5020 Salzburg, auf dessen

Massekonto Nr. 0996-36136/00 bei der CA-BV überwiesen.

2. Die Verlassenschaft des Beschwerdeführers erklärt die oben

genannte Beschwerde als erledigt.

3. Die Verlassenschaft des Beschwerdeführers verzichtet auf

die Geltendmachug allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die

Republik Österreich im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde

zugrundeliegenden Sachverhalt."

14. At its session on 18 October 1995, the Commission noted that the

parties had reached an agreement regarding the terms of a settlement.

It further considered, having regard to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the

Convention, that the friendly settlement of the case had been secured

on the basis of respect for Human Rights as defined in the Convention.

15. For these reasons, the Commission adopted the present Report.

Secretary to the First Chamber President of the First Chamber

(M.F. BUQUICCHIO) (C.L. ROZAKIS)

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ABU SHAER v. AUSTRIA

ABU SHAER v. AUSTRIA

LEXI