FOURTH SECTION

DECISION

Application no. 26354/15 Dan COSTE against Romania

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 15 October 2020 as a Committee composed of:

Armen Harutyunyan , President, Jolien Schukking , Ana Maria Guerra Martins, judges,

and Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,

Having regard to the above application lodged on 20 May 2015 ,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

FACTS AND PROCEDURE

The applicant, Mr Dan Coste , was born in 1959.

The applicant was represented by Mr B. Ionescu , a lawyer practising in Bucharest.

The applicant ’ s complaint under Article 10 of the Convention concerning the alleged breach of his right to freedom of expression because of a severe civil sentence imposed on him for a press article published by him in a national newspaper about a senior editor and presenter of the national public radio station and the failure of the domestic courts to provide relevant and sufficient reasons for their decision were communicated to the Romanian Government (“the Government”) , who submitted observations on the admissibility and merits. The observations were forwarded to the applicant, who was invited to submit his own observations. No reply was received to the Registry ’ s letter .

By letter dated 15 June 2020, sent by registered post, the applicant ’ s representative was notified that the period allowed for submission of the applicant ’ s observations had expired on 5 March 2020 and that no extension of time had been requested. The applicant ’ s representative ’ s attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, which provides that the Court may strike an application out of its list of cases where the circumstances lead to the conclusion that the applicant does not intend to pursue the application. The applicant ’ s representative received this letter on 29 June 2020. However, no response has been received.

THE LAW

In the light of the foregoing, and in the absence of any special circumstances regarding respect for the rights guaranteed by the Convention and the Protocols thereto, the Court, in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, considers that it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the application.

Accordingly, the case should be struck out of the list.

For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,

Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.

Done in English and notified in writing on 5 November 2020 .

Liv Tigerstedt Armen Harutyunyan Acting Deputy Registrar President