Published on 20 December 2021

FIRST SECTION

Application no. 30852/15 Efthymios PERSIDIS against Greece lodged on 17 June 2015 communicated on 2 December 2021

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The application concerns the criminal conviction of the applicant for slanderous defamation after having criticised a person occupying various posts in the Greek Association of Traditional Karate. He unsuccessfully challenged his criminal conviction before the Court of Cassation. The applicant complains that his conviction breaches his rights under Article 10 of the Convention.

The applicant also complains under Article 6 § 1 about the length of the criminal proceedings.

QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES

1. Has there been a violation of the applicant’s right to freedom of expression to Article 10 of the Convention on account of his criminal conviction for slanderous defamation?

2. Was the length of the criminal proceedings, which started on 27 April 2006 and ended on 31 May 2012 with decision no. 55408/2012 of the one-member first-instance criminal court of Athens ( Μονομελές Πλημμελειοδικείο ), in breach of the “reasonable time” requirement of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention?