FOURTH SECTION

DECISION

Application no . 46695/13 Bogdan GHEORGHIU and S . C . BG MEDIA S . R . L . against Romania

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 22 November 2016 as a Committee composed of:

Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque, President, Iulia Motoc , Marko Bošnjak , judges,

and Andrea Tamietti , Deputy Section Registrar ,

Having regard to the above application lodged on 16 July 2013,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

FACTS, PROCEDURE AND LAW

1. The first applicant, Mr Bogdan Gheorghiu , is a Romanian national, who was born in 1975 and lives in Suceava . The second applicant, B.G. Media SRL, is a Romanian legal person with its main office located in Suceava . They were represented before the Court by Mr V.L. Mihai, a lawyer practising in Suceava .

2. The applicants ’ complaint about the alleged disproportionate and chilling effect on their journalistic activity of the domestic court decision ordering them to pay a large amount of money in non-pecuniary damages following their television program concerning matters of public interest (Article 10 of the Convention) was communicated to the Romanian Government, who were represented by their Agent, Ms C. Brumar , from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3. The applicants failed to respond to the last registry ’ s letter of 18 April 2016 (received by their representative on 27 April 2016), reminding them that the period allowed for submission of their observations in reply had expired on 1 April 2016 and that no extension of time had been requested. Their attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention.

4. The Court considers that, in these circumstances, the applicants may be regarded as no longer wishing to pursue their application, within the meaning of Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention. Furthermore, in accordance with Article 37 § 1 in fine , the Court finds no special circumstances regarding respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and its Protocols which require the continued examination of the case.

In view of the above, it is appropriate to strike the case 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 15 December 2016 .

Andrea Tamietti Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque              Deputy Registrar President