FIRST SECTION

Application no. 32054/13 Ana LAZIĆ and Srđan LAZIĆ against Croatia lodged on 8 April 2013

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The applicants, Ms Ana Lazić and Mr Sr đ an Lazi ć , are Croatian nationals, who were born in 1945 and 1979 respectively and live in Osijek. They are represented before the Court by Mr M. Marušić , a lawyer practising in Osijek.

The circumstances of the case

The facts of the case, as submitted by the applicants, may be summarised as follows.

On 1 April 1992 two members of the Croatian Army entered into the house of the applicants ’ respective father and grandfather, M.B., and stabbed him several times with a knife which caused him grievous bodily injuries. He was taken to a medical centre in Podravska Slatina . While there he described his attackers, giving details about their outfit and facial characteristics. He died on 4 April 1992.

On 8 April 1992 the police lodged a criminal complaint about the above-described event with the Osijek County State Attorney ’ s Office.

On 13 May 1992 the first applicant informed the Osijek County State Attorney ’ s Office about the details her father had given about his attackers to the police and the medical personnel before he died. However, this information had not been included in the criminal complaint lodged by the police. She also said that a bar situated opposite her late father ’ s house had been open until 1 a.m. on the critical night and that among the guests there had been two men dressed into the Croatian soldiers ’ uniforms. They had caused some commotion there and their description fitted the one her late father had given about his attackers. She asked the authorities to interview potential witnesses such as the doctor who had spoken to her father before his death, the waitress from the bar and to carry out some further investigating steps.

On 19 November 1998 the case was transferred to the Bjelovar County State Attorney ’ s Office.

It appears that the investigation is still pending.

COMPLAINT

The applicants complain that the criminal law mechanisms as applied in the case at issue have not met the standards of the procedural aspect of Article 2 of the Convention. ITMarkFactsComplaintsEND

QUESTION TO THE PARTIES

Having regard to the procedural protection of the right to life, was the manner in which the criminal law mechanisms have been applied in the present case by the domestic authorities in breach of Article 2 of the Convention?

The Government are invited to submit copies of all case files and other documents concerning the killing of the applicants ’ respective father and grandfather, M.B.