The 276th Session of the European Commission of Human Rights (Council
of Europe) was held at the Human Rights Building in
Strasbourg from 2 to 13 March 1998. At the close of the session the
Secretary gave the following information on matters dealt
with in the Commission:
The Commission dealt with 715 applications under Article 25 of the Convention
and also examined one application under
Article 24 of the Convention. Among the applications examined by the
Commission were the following:
A. EXAMINATION OF ADMISSIBILITY
I. 77 applications declared admissible
II. 371 applications declared inadmissible
III. 11 applications struck off the list of cases
IV. 95 applications communicated to Governments
B. EXAMINATION OF ADMITTED APPLICATIONS
I. 15 references to the European Court of Human Rights
II. 123 Reports adopted:
(i) 5 Reports under Article 28 para. 2 of the Convention (friendly
settlement)
(ii) 3 Report under Article 30 of the Convention (striking off)
(iii) 115 Reports under Article 31 of the Convention (merits)
II. Reports adopted
(i) Reports adopted under Article 28 para. 2 of the Convention (friendly settlement)
(a) One Report was adopted by the plenary Commission under Article 28
para. 2 of the Convention, concluding that
a friendly settlement had been secured:
- KHRISTIANSKO SDRUZHENIE "SVIDETELI NA IEHOVA" (CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
JEHOVAH'S
WITNESSES) v. Bulgaria (Application No. 28626/95)
The case concerned the refusal to re-register the applicant association pursuant to a 1994 law, and the alleged suppression of its
activities and those of its members. In settlement, the Government agreed to introduce legislation as soon as possible to provide
for civilian service for conscientious objectors, as an alternative to military service, and to register the applicant association as a
religion. The applicant undertook with regard to its stance on blood transfusions to draft a statement for inclusion in its statute
providing that members should have free choice in the matter for themselves and their children, without any control or sanction
on the part of the association.