Communicated on 11 January 2017

FOURTH SECTION

Application no. 16582/16 Marcel SMPETRU against Romania lodged on 18 March 2016

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The application concerns the publication of allegedly defamatory articles concerning the applicant, former prosecutor and counsellor of the vice-president of the Superior Council of Magistrates, accompanied by pictures, in a national newspaper (“ Rom â nia Liber ă ”) on 16 November 2011, 6 and 9 January 2012 and the failure to provide damages for the alleged infringement of the applicant ’ s reputation, as part of the right to respect for private life provided for by Article 8 of the Convention.

QUESTIONS tO THE PARTIES

Has there been a violation of the applicant ’ s right to respect for his private life, in particular his personal honour and reputation, within the meaning of Article 8 of the Convention, in light of the final decision of 30 January 2015 rendered by the Bucharest County Court (see, for example, Axel Springer AG v. Germany [GC], no. 39954/08, § 83, 7 February 2012 and Lavric v. Romania , no. 22231/05 , 14 January 2014)?