TSAVACHIDIS v. GREECEPARTLY DISSENTING OPINION OF MR L. LOUCAIDES
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Document date: October 28, 1997
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PARTLY DISSENTING OPINION OF MR L. LOUCAIDES
JOINED BY
MRS J LIDDY, MM G. RESS AND A. PERENIC, MRS M. HION AND MR R. NICOLINI
In our view, there has been a violation of Article 9 of the
Convention for the following reasons.
According to the Commission's case-law, Article 9 para. 1 of the
Convention can be divided in two parts. The first limb of paragraph 1
guarantees a general right to freedom of religion. Under the second
limb of paragraph 1, a more specific right to change and manifest one's
religion is protected. Paragraph 2 of Article 9 only permits
limitations of the freedom to manifest one's religion. Consequently
under Article 9 para. 1, a Contracting State is obliged to respect
everyone's general freedom of religion and that right may not be
restricted (Darby v. Sweden, Comm. Report 9.5.89, para. 44, Eur. Court
HR, Series A no. 187, p. 17).
When considering the applicant's complaints under Article 8 of
the Convention, the Commission found that it was established that the
authorities had mounted an organised operation of surveillance -
"watching" - of the applicant's life. It was also established that
domestic law provided no legal basis for the mounting of such an
operation.
In our view, it is also established on the basis of the report
of 7 March 1993 that the reason why this operation had been mounted was
the applicant's religious beliefs. The Government have failed to
identify a legitimate public purpose which such an operation could have
served.
We consider that an organised operation of surveillance of a
person's religious activities, because such activities are simply
considered undesirable by the State, amounts to an interference with
that persons's right to hold certain religious beliefs.
It follows that in the circumstances of the case there has been
an interference with the applicant's general right to freedom of
religion as guaranteed in the first limb of paragraph 1 of Article 9
of the Convention. This is a right which includes the right to hold
certain religious beliefs and which may not be restricted in any way.
We have, therefore, concluded that in the present case there has
been a violation of Article 9 of the Convention.
(Or. English)
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