Communicated on 11 July 2019

FOURTH SECTION

Application no. 60183/17 Sterian PRICOPE against Romania lodged on 4 August 2017

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The application concerns civil defamation proceedings instituted against the applicant in connection with his criticism of the plaintiff ’ s alleged corrupt economic activities which the applicant believed contributed to the downfall of the local automobile industry. The applicant was a contributor to local press and television, and published a series of articles about the plaintiff in the local press.

By a final decision of 8 February 2017 of the Pite ş ti Court of Appeal, the applicant was ordered to pay non - pecuniary damages for having tarnished the plaintiff ’ s reputation. In its decision, the court considered, among other things, that the applicant could not be offered the protection of Article 10 of the Convention, as he was not a professional journalist.

The applicant complained of violations of Articles 6, 8, 10 and 11 of the Convention in relation to these facts.

QUESTION TO THE PARTIES

Has there been a violation of the applicant ’ s right to freedom of expression, in particular his right to impart information and ideas , contrary to Article 10 of the Convention, on account of the finding of the applicant ’ s liability in defamation (see Papaianopol v. Romania , no. 17590/02, 6 March 2010)?