Lexploria

EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

PLENARY

Application No. 13843/88

Gottfried VITZTHUM

against

AUSTRIA

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

(adopted on 7 April 1992)

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 Gottfried Vitzthum against Austria

on 14 January 1988. It was registered on 6 May 1988 under file

No. 13843/88.

The applicant was represented by Mr. G.O. Mory, a lawyer

practising in Salzburg.

The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent,

Ambassador H. Türk, Head of the International Law Department at the

Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2. On 17 January 1991 the Commission declared the application

admissible . It 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."

3. The Commission found that the parties had reached a friendly

settlement of the case and on 7 April 1992 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.A. NØRGAARD, President

J.A. FROWEIN

S. TRECHSEL

F. ERMACORA

E. BUSUTTIL

G. JÖRUNDSSON

A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK

A. WEITZEL

J.-C. SOYER

H.G. SCHERMERS

H. DANELIUS

Mrs. G.H. THUNE

Sir Basil HALL

MM. F. MARTINEZ

C.L. ROZAKIS

Mrs. J. LIDDY

MM. L. LOUCAIDES

J.-C. GEUS

A.V. ALMEIDA RIBEIRO

M.P. PELLONPÄÄ

B. MARXER

PART I

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

4. In 1967 the applicant, born in 1943, was admitted to a mental

hospital in Salzburg on a voluntary basis. In 1972 he was placed under

guardianship on account of his mental illness.

5. On 25 November 1985 the Salzburg District Court, in guardianship

proceedings, approved the applicant's detention in the above mental

hospital for a further period of twelve months. On 3 November 1986 the

Salzburg District Court approved the applicant's further detention in

the mental hospital for a period of six months. The District Court

stated that the applicant was still suffering from dangerous

hallucinations and thereby constituted a danger to himself. The appeal

of the applicant's guardian remained unsuccessful.

6. Before the Commission the applicant complained that his continued

detention in a mental hospital had no legal basis under Austrian law;

that the Austrian courts had failed to take independent expert evidence

upon the question whether or not he was suffering from a mental illness

requiring his detention; and that the proceedings had not been fair,

in that, in particular, he had not been heard in person and no counsel

had been appointed to defend his interests. The applicant invoked

Article 5 paras. 1 and 4 of the Convention.

PART II

SOLUTION REACHED

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

the Commission 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.

8. In accordance with the usual practice, the Secretary, acting on

the Commission's instructions, contacted the parties to explore the

possibilities of reaching a friendly settlement.

9. By letter of 16 March 1992 the applicant's representative, and

by letter of 27 March 1992 the Agent of the Government submitted the

following identical declarations on the agreement reached between the

applicant and the Government in March 1992:

"Statements of the parties with a view of 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. 13843/88,

lodged by Mr. Gottfried Vitzthum, declare with a view to a friendly

settlement, reached with assistance of the European Commission of Human

Rights, as follows:

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

applicant a sum amounting to altogether AS 145,000 as

compensation in respect of any possible claims relating to his

detention in the Salzburg psychiatric hospital and the domestic

proceedings concerned. This sum includes AS 25,000 in respect

of counsel's fees and expenses incurred both in the domestic

proceedings and in the proceedings before the Commission.

This amount will be paid to the applicant's representative

Mr. G.O. Mory in Salzburg.

2. The sum paid to the applicant in the context of the present

friendly settlement will be exempted from any possible claims for

payment by the Austrian Government or by any other Austrian

authority, including any possible claims by the Land Salzburg for

reimbursement of social welfare benefits which the applicant has

previously received.

3. The applicant declares his application settled.

4. The applicant waives any further claims against the

Republic of Austria relating to the present application.

5. The applicant's representative will take the necessary

steps to ensure the authorisation of the present settlement by

the competent Austrian guardianship court, if necessary."

"Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung

In der Individualbeschwerde Nr. 13843/88 des Herrn Gottfried

Vitzthum verständigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf

Artikel 28 Abs. 1 b der Europäischen Konvention zum Schutze der

Menschenrechte und Grundfreiheiten und unter Mitwirkung der

Europäischen Kommission für Menschenrechte auf die nachstehende

gütliche Regelung:

1. Die österreichische Regierung zahlt dem Beschwerdeführer

als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaigen Ansprüche im Zusammenhang

mit seiner Anhaltung in der Landesnervenklinik Salzburg und dem

dieser zugrundeliegenden Verfahren einen Gesamtbetrag von

AS 145.000. Dieser Betrag umfaßt AS 25.000 hinsichtlich der

Gebühren und Auslagen, die im Rahmen seiner Rechtsverfolgung vor

den nationalen Gerichten und im Verfahren vor der Kommission

entstanden sind.

Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des

Beschwerdeführers Herrn G. O. Mory in Salzburg überwiesen.

2. Die dem Beschwerdeführer im Rahmen dieses Vergleiches

gezahlte Summe wird nicht zum Ausgleich etwaiger

Regreßforderungen der Republik Österreich oder anderer

staatlicher Stellen herangezogen, so insbesondere nicht zur

Begleichung von Regreßforderungen des Landes Salzburg wegen in

der Vergangenheit geleisteter Sozialhilfe.

3. Der Beschwerdeführer erklärt seine oben genannte Beschwerde

als erledigt.

4. Der Beschwerdeführer verzichtet auf die Geltendmachung

allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die Republik Österreich

im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde zugrundeliegenden

Sachverhalt.

5. Für eine allfällige pflegschaftsbehördliche Genehmigung des

vorliegenden Vergleichs wird der Verfahrensbevollmächtigte des

Beschwerdeführers Sorge tragen."

10. At its session on 7 April 1992, 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.

11. For these reasons, the Commission adopted this Report.

Secretary to the Commission President of the Commission

(H.C. KRÜGER) (C.A. NØRGAARD)

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VITZTHUM v. AUSTRIA

VITZTHUM v. AUSTRIA

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