EVROPSKI SUD ZA LJUDSKA PRAVA
VEĆE
LAWLESS (LOLES) PROTIV REPUBLIKE IRSKE (No.3)
Predstavka br. 332/57
PRESUDA
STRAZBUR
01.07.1961. godine
U predmetu Loles,
Evropski sud za ljudska prava, zasedajući, shodno odredbama člana 43 Konvencije za zaštitu ljudskih prava i osnovnih sloboda (u daljem tekstu "Konvencija") i pravilima 21 i 22 Pravilnika Suda, kao sudsko veće sastavljeno od sledećih sudija:
G-din R. KASINI, predsednik,
G-dja E. RODENBURG
G-din R. MEKGONIGAL, član po službenoj dužnosti,
G-din G. BALADORE PALIERI
G-din E. ARNALDS
G-din K.F. ARIK, kao i
G-din R. MODINOS, sekretar Suda,
donosi sledeću presudu:
O POSTUPKUU skladu sa tim nalogom, Komisija je 16. decembra 1960. podnela dokument pod nazivom "Komentar na odgovor Države u vezi zasnovanosti predstavke", koji je Državi, kao stranci u postupku, prosledjen 19. decembra 1960. Dana 3. februara 1961., odnosno, pre isteka naznačenog roka, Država je podnela dokument pod nazivom "Komentari Države Irske na podnesak Evropske komisije za ljudska prava od 16. decembra 1960." Taj dokument je prosledjen delegatima Komisije 7. februara 1961., čime su se stekli uslovi za razmatranje merituma predmetnog slučaja.
Pre početka usmene rasprave, glavni delegat Komisije je 14. marta 1961., preko Sekretarijata, pismenim putem obavestio Sud o stavovima delegata Komisije po odredjenim pitanjima koja je Država pokrenula u svom podnesku od 3. februara 1961. Taj dopis od 14. marta 1961., čija je kopija prosledjena Državi, je takodje priključen spisima predmeta.
- u ime Komisije,
Ser Hamfri Valdok, predsednik Komisije, kao glavni delegat,
g-din C. T. Eustatiades, potpredsednik, i
g-din S. Petru, član Komisije, u svojstvu pomoćnika delegata;
- u ime Države Irske, kao stranke u postupku,
g-din A. O Kife, državni pravobranilac Irske, u svojstvu državnog agenta, uz asistenciju
g-dina S. Moriseja, advokata, pravnog savetnika u Ministarstvu inostranih poslova,
g-dina A.J. Hedermana, advokata i savetnika, kao i
g-dje D. O Donovan, državnog tužioca, i
P. Berija, pomoćnika generalnog sekretara Ministarstva pravde.
"Molimo Sud da notira da delegati Komisije imaju sledeća prava:
(a) da smatraju da sastavni deo postupka u predmetnom slučaju predstavljaju i pismene opservacije podnosioca predstavke na izveštaj Komisije, sadržane u tačkana od 31 do 49 podneska Komisije od 16. decembra 1960., kako je Sud i naznačio na strani 15 svoje presude od 14. novembra 1960.;
(b) da Sudu prezentiraju mišljenja podnosioca predstavke o svakom pitanju koje se pokrene u raspravi, kako je i naznačeno na strani 15 presude Suda od 14. novembra 1960.;
(c) da lice koje u tu svrhu imenuje podnosilac predstavke smatraju nadležnim za pružanje svake pomoći koju oni zatraže da bi Sudu prezentovali mišljenja podnosioca predstavke o bilo kom konkretnom pitanju koje se pokrene u raspravi."
U svojstvu državnog agenta Irske, g-din A. O Kife je naznačio da će to pitanje ostaviti Sudu na diskreciono razmatranje.
"Ovaj Sud, imajući u vidu zaključke koje su delegati Evropske komisije za ljudska prava izneli na raspravi od 7. aprila 1961.;
a uzimajući u obzir činjenicu da državni agent Irske ne želi da se izjasni o tom pitanju;
budući da je u svojoj presudi od 14. novembra 1960. Sud stao na stanovište da u ovoj fazi postupka nema osnova da se Komisija ovlasti da Sud izveštava o pismenim opservacijama podnosioca predstavke na izveštaj Komisije;
budući da je u rečenoj presudi, čija je jedino verzija na francuskom jeziku merodavna, Sud uvažio pravo Komisije da se pozove ("de faire etat") na stavove podnosioca predstavke o njenim ovlašćenjima, i uvažio da to jeste ispravan način obaveštavanja Suda;
budući da se ovako široka ovlašćenja Komisije odnose i na svako drugo mišljenje podnosioca predstavke koji je Komisija pribavila tokom postupka pred ovim Sudom;
budući da, sa druge strane, Komisija ima punu slobodu da sama odluči na koji će način stupiti u kontakt sa podnosiocem predstavke i omogućiti mu da je o svojim stavovima izvesti; budući da, a što je naročito važno, Komisija ima slobodu da od podnosioca predstavke traži da imenuje lice koje će biti na raspolaganju delegatima Komisije; budući da iz toga ne sledi da to lice ima bilo kakav status locus standi in judicio;
iz svih navedenih razloga, jednoglasno donosi sledeću odluku:
U pogledu zaključaka pod (a), da u ovoj fazi postupka pismene opservacije podnosioca predstavke, navedene u tačkama od 31 do 49 podneska Komisije od 16. decembra 1960., ne mogu biti smatrane sastavnim delom postupka u predmetnom slučaju;
u pogledu tačke (b), da Komisija ima punu slobodu da tokom rasprave, u meri koja je po njenom nahodjenju potrebna da se Sud bolje upozna sa stanjem stvari, iznese opservacije podnosioca predstavke na njen izveštaj i na svako drugo konkretno pitanje pokrenuto nakon njegovog podnošenja;
u pogledu tačke (c), da je na Komisiji da po sopstvenom nahodjenju od podnosioca predstavke zatraži da imenuje lice koje će joj biti na raspolaganju, uz sve one ograde koje su prethodno navedene."
I
II
III
Član 21
"(1) Protivzakonitim se ima smatrati pripadnost svakog lica nelegalnoj organizaciji;
(2) Svako lice koje pripada nelegalnoj organizaciji, a što je u suprotnosti sa ovim članom, biće okrivljeno za izvršenje krivičnog dela po ovom članu i kažnjeno na sledeći način:
(a) po kratkom postupku, novčanom kaznom u maksimalnom iznosu od 50 funti ili, što je diskreciono pravo suda, kaznom zatvora u trajanju od najviše tri meseca ili na objedinjenu novčanu i zatvorsku kaznu; ili
(b) nakon utvrdjivanja krivice po optužnici, na kaznu zatvora u trajanju od najviše dve godine."
Deo četvrti zakona iz 1939. godine sadrži odredbe o suzbijanju protivzakonitih aktivnosti, uključujuči i član 30, koji propisuje hapšenje i pritvor za lica osumnjičena da se bave protivzakonitim aktivnostima, i to kako sledi:
Član 30
"(1) Svaki pripadnik Garde Siočane1 (i kada nije u uniformi, a kada, ukoliko se to od njega zatraži, pokaže službenu legitimaciju) ima pravo da bez prethodnog upozorenja zaustavi, pretrese, ispituje i uhapsi svako lice, ili da bilo koju od ovih radnji primeni prema jednom ili više lica za koje sumnja da su počinila ili nameravaju da počine ili su povezana sa izvršenjem bilo kog krivičnog dela definisanog bilo kojom odredbom ovog zakona, ili bilo kog dela koje se u tom trenutku smatra krivičnim delom u pripremi, u smislu Dela petog ovog zakona, ili bilo koje lice za koje sumnja da poseduje bilo kakav dokument vezan za izvršenje ili nameru izvršenja prethodno navedenih krivičnih dela.
(2) Svaki pripadnik Garde Siočane (i kada nije u uniformi, a kada, ukoliko se to od njega zatraži, pokaže službenu legitimaciju) može, u svrhu vršenja ovlašćenja propisanih u prethodnoj odredbi ovog člana, zaustaviti i izvršiti pretres (ukoliko je potrebno i primenom sile) svakog vozila, broda, čamca ili nekog drugog plovila za koje sumnja da prevoze lice koje on, po osnovu ovlašćenja iz prethodne odredbe, može uhapsiti bez naloga suda.
(3) Kada lice biva uhapšeno po osnovu ovog člana, ono može biti odvedeno i stavljeno u pritvor u stanicu Garde Siočane, zatvor ili na neko drugo odgovarajuće mesto u trajanju od 24 sata od trenutka hapšenja i može, ukoliko to naloži pripadnik Garde Siočane koji po činu ne može biti niže od glavnog inspektora, ostati u pritvoru još 24 sata.
(4) Lice pritvoreno po osnovu prethodnih odredbi ovog člana može u svakom trenutku trajanja pritvora biti okrivljeno pred Okružnim ili Specijalnim krivičnim sudom za izvršenje krivičnog dela ili pušteno iz pritvora po nalogu pripadnika Garde Siočane, a, ukoliko takvo lice nije ni okrivljeno ni pušteno iz pritvora na prethodno opisan način, to će lice biti pušteno iz pritvora nakon isteka vremena propisanog relevantnim odredbama ovog člana.
(5) Svaki pripadnik Garde Siočane može izvršiti jednu ili sve dole navedene radnje prema licu pritvorenom po osnovu ovog člana:
(a) zahtevati od dotičnog lica da kaže ime i adresu;
(b) izvršiti ili naložiti pretres lica;
(c) fotografisati ili naložiti fotografisanje lica:
(d) uzeti ili naložiti uzimanje otisaka prstiju lica.
(6) Svako lice koje opstruira ili ometa pripadnika Garde Siočane u vršenju bilo kog ovlašćenja iz prethodne odredbe ovog člana ili koje odbije da kaže svoje ime i adresu ili koje na takav upit da lažne ili pogrešne podatke smatraće se okrivljenim za izvršenje krivičnog dela propisanog ovim članom, za šta se može, po kratkom postupku, osuditi na kaznu zatvora u trajanju od najviše šest meseci."
Deo peti Zakona iz 1939. godine propisuje osnivanje specijalnih krivičnih sudova koji će suditi licima okrivljenim za krivična dela po osnovu ovog zakona.
Konačno, Deo šesti tog zakona sadrži odredbe koje ovlašćuju svakog ministra u vladi, po stupanju na snagu tog dela zakona, da u odredjenim situacijama naloži hapšenje i stavljanje u pritvor bilo kog lica za koga opravdano sumnja da se bavi aktivnostima koje se po ovom zakonu smatraju nelegalnim.
Zakon br. 2 iz 1940. ministrima u vladi daje specijalno ovlašćenje da nalože pritvor bez odluke suda "u svakoj situaciji kada vlada proklamacijom objavi da su ovlašćenja po osnovu ovog dela zakona nužna radi očuvanja javnog reda i mira i kada utvrdi da je nužno da ovaj deo zakona odmah stupi na snagu" (član 3, stav 2 zakona).
Po članu 3, stav 4 istog zakona, medjutim, Donji dom irskog parlamenta može u svakom trenutku da odluči prostom većinom da se specijalno ovlašćenje za odredjivanje pritvora uvedeno proklamacijom vlade poništava.
Sem toga, član 9 istog zakona propisuje da oba doma irskog parlamenta moraju biti redovno obaveštavana o načinu sprovodjenja specijalnih ovlašćenja za odredjivanje pritvora.
"(1) Kada ministar u vladi smatra da se neko lice bavi aktivnostima koje, po njegovom mišljenju, ugrožavaju javni red i mir ili bezbednost države, taj ministar može lično da izda nalog, propisno overen službenim pečatom, za hapšenje i pritvor tog lica po osnovu ovog člana.
(2) Svaki pripadnik Garde Siočane može bez sudskog naloga uhapsiti bilo koje lice za koje je nalog za hapšenje izdao ministar u vladi po osnovu prethodnog stava ovog člana.
(3) Svako lice uhapšeno po ovom osnovu biće smešteno u pritvor u zatvor ili na neko drugo mesto u tu svrhu odredjeno uredbom zasnovanom na ovom delu zakona, sve dok taj deo zakona ne bude stavljen van snage ili sve dok takvo lice ne bude pušteno iz pritvora po osnovu dole navedenih odredbi ovog dela zakona, šta god bude usledilo prvo.
(4) Kada se lice nadje u pritvoru po osnovu ovog člana, takvom će se licu, odmah po započinjanju pritvora u zatvoru ili nekom drugom mestu u tu svrhu odredjenom uredbom zasnovanom na ovom delu zakona, uručiti primerak rešenja za odredjivanje pritvora izdatog po osnovu ovog člana i člana 8 istog zakona."
IV
U drugoj polovini decembra 1956. dogodili su oružani napadi na veći broj policijskih stanica u Severnoj Irskoj, a u napadu koji se odigrao krajem tog meseca jedan policajac je ubijen. U decembru je otvorena vatra na policijsku patrolu koja se kretala pograničnim putem, postavljane su barikade od balvana, prekidani telefonski vodovi itd. Slični incidenti su se dogodili i u januaru 1957. Početkom tog meseca zabeležen je i napad na policijsku stanicu u Brukeborou, tokom koga su dva napadača ubijena, obojica iz 26. okruga. Preostalih dvanaest napadača, od kojih su četvorica ranjena, pobegli su preko granice, gde ih je uhapsila policija Republike Irske. Nakon toga je premijer Republike Irske 6. januara 1957. uputio javni apel za obustavljanje takvih napada.
Šest dana nakon apela upućenog preko javnih glasila, odnosno 12. januara 1957., IRA je izvršila oružani napad na skladište eksploziva u Mortaunu u dablinskom okrugu, na teritoriji Republike Irske, sa namerom da iz tog skladišta iznese eksplozivne materije. Dana 6. maja 1957., jedna oružana grupa je izvršila napad na skladište eksploziva u Svon Laoisu, vezala čuvara i prisvojila odredjenu količinu eksploziva.
Na dan 18. aprila 1957., glavna železnička pruga na relaciji Dablin-Belfast je bila zatvorena zbog eksplozije u kojoj je značajno oštećen železnički most u mestu Ajalog u okrugu Armag, udaljenom oko pet milja od severne granice.
U noći izmedju 25. i 26. aprila, ista železnička pruga je oštećena podmetanjem tri eksplozivne naprave na delu pruge izmedju Lurgana i Portadauna u Severnoj Irskoj.
U noći izmedju 3. i 4. jula, jedna policijska patrola je upala u zasedu blizu granice u Severnoj Irskoj. Jedan policajac je ubijen, a drugi ranjen. Na licu mesta je pronadjeno 87 štapina gelignita (nitroglicerinskog eksploziva), koji su bili postavljeni na putu, prekriveni kamenjem i povezani žicom koja je vodila do detonatora.
Ovaj incident se dogodio samo osam dana pre tradicionalnog marša Oranžista, koji se širom Severne Irske svake godine organizuje na dan 12. jula. I prethodnih godina je ovaj dan bio posebno kritičan za održavanje javnog reda i mira.
V
"U cilju sprovodjenja ovlašćenja po osnovu člana 3 (stav 2) Izmenjenog zakona o delima protiv države iz 1940. (Zakon br. 2 iz 1940.), vlada ovim stavlja na znanje da su ovlaščenja po osnovu Dela drugog rečenog zakona nužna za obezbedjivanje javnog reda i mira i da je primereno da rečeni deo navedenog zakona stupi na snagu odmah."
"...U meri u kojoj je to neophodno za primenu Dela drugog ovog zakona, kojim se uvode specijalna ovlašćenja nalaganja hapšenja i pritvora, može doći do odstupanja od obaveza koje nalaže Konvencija za zaštitu ljudskih prava i osnovnih sloboda, pa mi je čast da vas ljubazno zamolim da pokažete dobru volju i da ovaj dopis smatrate obaveštenjem u tom smislu, u skladu sa članom 15 (stav 3) Konvencije."
U dopisu se naglašava da se pritvaranje lica po osnovu ovog zakona smatra nužnim "radi sprečavanja krivičnih dela protiv javnog reda i mira i onemogućavanja postojanja drugih vojnih ili oružanih snaga osim onih propisanih ustavom."
U istom dopisu se generalnom sekretaru skreće pažnja na član 8 zakona, koji propisuje formiranje Komisije za pritvor kojoj svako pritvoreno lice može uputiti žalbu za preispitivanje osnovanosti pritvora. Komisija je osnovana 16. jula 1957.
VI
DŽ.R. Lolesu i drugim optuženima sudjeno je pred Krivičnom sudom u Dablinu. Dana 23. novembra 1956. sud ih oslobodja optužbe za nezakonito posedovanje vatrenog oružja. Postupajući sudija je, u instrukcijama poroti, objasnio da uslovi za dokazivanje krivice optuženih nisu ispunjeni i da nisu pruženi uverljivi dokazi da neki nadležni organ nije izdao dozvolu za posedovanje dotičnog vatrenog oružja.
Na ročištu pred ovim sudom 26. oktobra, okružni sudija je jednog od optuženih, Šona Geragtija, upitao da li želi da jednom od prisutnih policajaca postavi neko pitanje, na šta je on odgovorio:
"Kao pripadnik Irske republikanske armije i vodja ovih ljudi, ne želim da na bilo koji način učestvujem u postupku pred ovim sudom."
Kada ga je sudija pitao kako se izjašnjava po optužnici, on je izjavio:
"U ime mojih drugova i u sopstveno ime, želim da izjavim da su oružje i municija pronadjeni u našem posedu bili namenjeni upotrebi protiv britanskih okupacionih snaga, a u cilju ujedinjavanja naše zemlje, i nijedan Irac ni Irkinja nemaju nikakvog razloga da nas se plaše. Mi smatramo da je posedovanje oružja legalno, a takodje smatramo i da je dužnost svakog Irca da nosi oružje u cilju odbrane zemlje."
Kada se sudija obratio DŽ.R. Lolesu, on je izjavio: "Šon Geragti je govorio i u moje ime."
Loles je ponovo uhapšen u Dablinu 14. maja 1957., po članu 30 Zakona iz 1939., zbog sumnje da se bavio nezakonitim aktivnostima. Kod njega je pronadjen plan napada sa označenim pograničnim karaulama na granici izmedju Republike Irske i Severne Irske, na kome je pisalo "infiltrirati se, neutralisati i uništiti".
Istog tog dana policija je izvršila pretres njegove kuće, u kojoj je pronadjeno rukom pisano uputstvo za vodjenje gerilskog rata, u kome, izmedju ostalog, stoji:
"Pokret otpora je oružana avangarda irskog naroda koja se bori za slobodu Irske. Pokret svoju snagu crpi iz činjenice da je on narodni i patriotski pokret. Osnovni zadatak lokalnih jedinica otpora je uništenje neprijateljskih postrojenja i zgrada, tj. zgrada Teritorijalne odbrane, karaula posebne namene, regrutnih centara Britanske vojske, pograničnih karaula, vojnih skladišta i slično.
Napadi na neprijateljske aerodrome i uništenje hangara, skladišta sa eksplozivom i gorivom, ubijanje pilota i mehaničara, ubijanje i zarobljavanje visokih oficira neprijateljske vojske i policije i vodećih političara kolonijalne vlade neprijatelja, kao i izdajnika naše zemlje koji se nalaze na njihovom platnom spisku, odnosno britanskih oficira, agenata policije, njihovih doušnika, sudija, visoko rangiranih članova kvislinške partije itd."
Nakon hapšenja, protiv DŽ.R. Lolesa je podignuta optužnica za sledeća krivična dela:
(a) posedovanje inkriminirajućih dokumenata, suprotno članu 12 Zakona iz 1939. godine;
(b) pripadnost nelegalnoj organizaciji, IRI, što je u suprotnosti sa članom 21 Zakona iz 1939. godine.
Dana 16. maja 1957., DŽ.R. Loles je izveden pred Okružni sud u Dablinu, sa još tri lica optužena za slična krivična dela po Zakonu iz 1939. Sud Lolesa proglašava krivim po prvoj tački optužnice i osudjuje na kaznu zatvora u trajanju od mesec dana. Druga tačka optužnice se odbacuje. Uvidom u sudske spise može se utvrditi da je druga tačka optužnice odbačena kao neosnovana, ali zapisnik o samom postupku nedostaje, tako da se ne vidi jasno na osnovu čega je sud cenio da se druga tačka optužnice odbacuje. DŽ.R. Loles je iz zatvora izašao otprilike 16. juna 1957., nakon što je izdržao kaznu u zatvoru Mauntdžoj u Dablinu.
VIši inspektor MekMaon je podnosiocu predstavke tog istog dana rekao da će biti pušten iz pritvora ako potpiše izjavu kojom jemči da se takvo ponašanje ubuduće neće ponoviti. Dž.R. Lolesu nije data na potpis takva izjava, tako da je sporno šta je tačno u njoj pisalo.
Dana 12. jula 1957., šef policije nalaže, po osnovu člana 30 (stav 3) Zakona iz 1939., da se DŽ.R. Lolesu pritvor produži za još 24 sata, odnosno do 07.45 časova 13. jula 1957.
Medjutim, u 06.00 časova 13. jula 1957., pre isticanja policijskog pritvora po osnovu člana 30 Zakona iz 1939., DŽ.R. Lolesa iz policijske stanice Brajdvel prebacuju u vojni zatvor Kurag (poznatiji kao "Staklena kuća") u okrugu Kilder. On je tamo stigao oko 08.00 časova tog istog dana, od kada mu teče pritvor po osnovu naloga koji je 12. jula 1957. izdao ministar pravde, pozivajući se na član 4 Zakona iz 1940. Nakon dolaska u "Staklenu kuću", DŽ.R. Lolesu je uručena kopija naloga o pritvoru, u kome ministar pravde navodi da se DŽ.R. Loles, po njegovom mišljenju, bavi aktivnostima uperenim protiv bezbednosti države i nalaže njegovo hapšenje i stavljanje u pritvor, pozivajući se na član 4 Zakona iz 1940.
Iz "Staklene kuće" su DŽ.R. Lolesa 17. jula 1957. prebacili u Logor za internaciju u kasarni Kurag, okrug Kilder, gde je sa još 120 drugih lica boravio u pritvoru bez optužnice i sudjenja do 11. decembra 1957., kada je oslobodjen.
Sud je istog dana kada je podnešen zahtev takav nalog izdao i uručio komandantu, dajući mu rok od četiri dana da navede razloge zbog kojih bi se eventualno o njega oglušio. Isti takav nalog je upućen i Komisiji za pritvor. Komisija je, na sednici od 20. septembra 1957., odlučila da obustavi postupak uzimanje iskaza sine die, dok se ne donese odluka o zahtevu po osnovu pravila habeas corpus.
Viši sud je zasedao od 8. do 11. oktobra 1957., kojom prilikom je saslušao pravne argumente obe strane. Sud je 11. oktobra doneo presudu kojom prihvata opravdanost razloga koje je naveo komandant vojnog pritvora za nastavak pritvora. Zahtev za izdavanje naloga habeas corpus time biva odbačen.
U obrazloženju presude, Vrhovni sud navodi sledeće:
(a) da se odmah naloži njegovo puštanje iz pritvora;
(b) da mu se isplati nadoknada i odšteta za vreme provedeno u pritvoru; i
(c) da mu se isplati nadoknada za sve sudske i druge troškove koje je imao u vezi sa postupcima koje je pokrenuo pred irskim sudovima i pred Komisijom u cilju njegovog puštanja iz pritvora.
VII
Komisija je u svom podnesku od 27. juna 1960. navela sledeće:
"Molimo Sud da, uzimajući u obzir nalaze Komisije sadržane u njenom izveštaju o predmetu Džerarda Ričarda Lolesa,
(1) odluči o sledećem:
(a) da li je pritvaranje podnosioca predstavke bez odluke suda, u trajanju od 13. jula do 11. decembra 1957., po članu 4 Izmenjenog zakona o delima protiv države iz 1940., u suprotnosti sa obavezama tužene države po osnovu članova 5 i 6 Konvencije;
(b) da li je takav pritvor u suprotnosti sa obavezama tužene države po članu 7 Konvencije;
(2) ako je takav pritvor u suprotnosti sa obavezama tužene države po osnovu članova 5 i 6, molimo Sud da odluči o sledećem:
(a) da li dopis koji je Država uputila generalnom sekretaru Saveta Evrope 20. jula 1957. predstavlja zadovoljavajući oblik obaveštavanja, u smislu člana 15 (stav 3) Konvencije;
(b) da li je u periodu od 13. jula do 11. decembra 1957. postojala opasnost koja je ugrožavala opstanak nacije, u smislu člana 15 (stav 1) Konvencije;
(c) ukoliko je takva opasnost postojala u tom periodu, da li je mera stavljanja u pritvor bez odluke suda, po osnovu člana 4 Zakona iz 1940., i način na koji je bila sprovedena od strane Države, bila apsolutno nužna u svetlu hitnosti rečene situacije;
(3) da li, u svakom slučaju, podnosioca predstavke član 17 Konvencije sprečava da se pozove na odredbe njenih članova 5, 6 i 7;
(4) da, u svetlu odluka koje Sud donese o pitanjima iz tačaka 1, 2 i 3 ovog podneska, presudi o sledećem:
(a) da li predmetne činjenice ukazuju da je tužena država prekršila svoje obaveze po osnovu Konvencije;
(b) ako to jeste slučaj, koja vrsta nadoknade, ako postoji, sleduje podnosiocu predstavke po osnovu tog kršenja.
"Molimo Sud da presudi da na pitanja iz tačke 58 podneska Komisije od 28. juna 1960. godine slede ovi odgovori:
1.
(a) Da pritvaranje podnosioca predstavke nije u suprotnosti sa obavezama Države po osnovu članova 5 i 6 Konvencije.
(b) Da takav pritvor nije u suprotnosti sa obavezama Države koje proističu iz člana 7 Konvencije.
2.
(a) Da je dopis koji je Država uputila 20. jula 1957. zadovoljavajući oblik obaveštavanja, u smislu odredbi člana 15 (stav 3) Konvencije ili, alternativno, da u predmetnom slučaju Državu nijedna odredba rečenog stava 3 člana 15 ne sprečava da se pozove na stav 1 člana 15.
(b) Da u periodu od 13. jula do 11. decembra 1957. jeste postojala opasnost koja je ugrožavala život nacije, shodno značenju stava 1 člana 15 Konvencije.
(c) Da mera nalaganja pritvora bez odluke suda, na način kako je primenila država, jeste bila apsolutno nužna u rečenoj hitnoj situaciji.
3. Da član 17 Konvencije podnosioca predstavke u svakom slučaju sprečava da se pozove na odredbe njenih članova 5, 6 i 7.
4.
(a) Da predmetne činjenice ne ukazuju da je Država na bilo koji način prekršila svoje obaveze po osnovu Konvencije.
(b) Da se, iz prethodno navedenih razloga, ne može postaviti pitanje nikakve nadoknade."
" Ništa u ovoj Konvenciji ne može se tumačiti tako da podrazumeva pravo bilo koje države, grupe ili lica da se upuste u neku delatnost ili izvrše neki čin koji je usmeren na poništavanje bilo kog od navedenih prava i sloboda ili na njihovo ograničavanje u većoj meri od one koja je predviđena Konvencijom."
" 1. Svako ima pravo na slobodu i bezbednost ličnosti. Niko ne može biti lišen slobode osim u sledećim slučajevima i u skladu sa zakonom propisanim postupkom:
a) u slučaju zakonitog lišenja slobode na osnovu presude nadležnog suda;
b) u slučaju zakonitog hapšenja ili lišenja slobode zbog neizvršenja zakonite sudske odluke ili radi obezbeđenja ispunjenja neke obaveze propisane zakonom;
c) u slučaju zakonitog hapšenja ili lišenja slobode radi privođenja lica pred nadležnu sudsku vlast zbog opravdane sumnje da je izvršilo krivično delo, ili kada se to opravdano smatra potrebnim kako bi se predupredilo izvršenje krivičnog dela ili bekstvo po njegovom izvršenju;
d) u slučaju lišenja slobode maloletnog lica na osnovu zakonite odluke u svrhu vaspitnog nadzora ili zakonitog lišenja slobode radi njegovog privođenja nadležnom organu;
e) u slučaju zakonitog lišenja slobode da bi se sprečilo širenje zaraznih bolesti, kao i zakonitog lišenja slobode duševno poremećenih lica, alkoholičara ili uživalaca droge ili skitnica;
f) u slučaju zakonitog hapšenja ili lišenja slobode lica da bi se sprečio njegov neovlašćeni ulazak u zemlju, ili lica protiv koga se preduzimaju mere u cilju deportacije ili ekstradicije.
(2) Svako ko je uhapšen biće odmah i na jeziku koji razume obavešten o razlozima za njegovo hapšenje i o svakoj optužbi protiv njega.
(3)Svako ko je uhapšen ili lišen slobode shodno odredbama iz stava 1.c ovog člana biće bez odlaganja izveden pred sudiju ili drugo službeno lice zakonom određeno da obavlja sudske funkcije i imaće pravo da mu se sudi u razumnom roku ili da bude pušten na slobodu do suđenja. Puštanje na slobodu može se usloviti jemstvima da će se lice pojaviti na suđenju.
(4)Svako ko je lišen slobode ima pravo da pokrene postupak u kome će sud hitno ispitati zakonitost lišenja slobode i naložiti puštanje na slobodu ako je lišenje slobode nezakonito.
(5)Svako ko je bio uhapšen ili lišen slobode u suprotnosti s odredbama ovog člana ima utuživo pravo na naknadu."
Dalje, budući da po mišljenju Komisije pritvaranje Dž.R. Lolesa ne može da se podvede pod stav 1.c člana 5, pošto on nije izveden pred nadležni sudski organ tokom perioda koji se ovde razmatra; budući da stav 1.c dopušta hapšenje i pritvor samo kada je lice osumnjičeno za krivično delo, i to samo radi izvodjenja tog lica pred nadležni sudski organ; da je, s tim u vezi, Komisija posebno naglasila da je značenje ove odredbe u izvorniku i na engleskom i na francuskom jeziku potpuno jasno, te da se formulacija "u svrhu izvodjenja lica pred nadležni sudski organ" ne odnosi samo na slučajeve kada se lice hapsi ili pritvara "pod osnovanom sumnjom da je izvršilo krivično delo", već i na slučajeve kada se lice hapsi ili pritvara u situacijama "kada se razumno smatra da je to nužno radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela ili da bi se to lice onemogućilo da pobegne nakon izvršenja krivičnog dela"; da zapeta u francuskoj verziji izvornog teksta nakon formulacije "si'il a ete arrete et detenu en vue d'etre conduit devant l'autorite judiciaire competente" označava da se ovom formulacijom kvalifikuju sve kategorije hapšenja i pritvora koje su taksativno navedene nakon tog zareza; da se, osim toga, stav 1.c člana 5 ima tumačiti zajedno sa stavom 3 istog člana, shodno kome se svako lice uhapšeno ili pritvoreno po osnovu odredbi stava 1.c navedenog člana ima odmah izvesti pred sudiju; budući da se ovim potvrdjuje da stav 1.c člana 5 dopušta hapšenje i pritvor lica samo radi njegovog izvodjenja pred sudiju; Budući da Komisija nije iznela mišljenje o tome da li je pritvor Dž.R. Lolesa u skladu sa odredbama člana 6 Konvencije;
- da pritvaranje Dž.R. Lolesa u periodu od 13. jula do 11. decembra 1957., a s obzirom da je i Komisije bila mišljenja da su njegovo sveukupno ponašanje i konkretne okolnosti navodile na zaključak da postoje razlozi "za najozbiljniju sumnju da je on bio uključen u aktivnosti IRE" u trenutku hapšenja u julu 1957. godine, ne predstavlja povredu članova 5 i 6 Konvencije; budući da je Država iznela tvrdnju da Konvencija ne nalaže da se lice uhapšeno ili pritvoreno iz preventivnih razloga izvodi pred nadležni sudski organ; i da, shodno tome, pritvor Dž.R. Lolesa nije bio u sukobu sa odredbama Konvencije; budući da se po ovom pitanju Država pred Sudom, za razliku od iskaza pred Komisijom, nije pozvala na stav 1.b člana 5, i da je pred Sudom iznela sledeće argumente: da se stav 1.c člana 5 odnosi na dve potpuno odvojene kategorije lišavanja slobode, tj. situacije kada se lice hapsi ili lišava slobode "po osnovu razumne sumnje da je počinilo krivično delo" i situacije "kada se može razumno smatrati da je to nužno radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela itd."; da je jasno iz formulacije rečene odredbe da obaveza izvodjenja uhapšenog i pritvorenog lica pred nadležni sudski organ postoji samo u prvom slučaju; i da je to značenje ove formulacije, posebno u verziji na engleskom jeziku;
- da rad na izradi formulacije člana 5 potvrdjuje ovakvo tumačenje rečene formulacije; da se mora uzeti u obzir činjenica da je rečeni član 5 proistekao iz predloga koji je Komitetu eksperata marta 1950. podnela delegacija Ujedinjenog Kraljevstva, te da je, shodno tome, verzija na francuskom jeziku samo prevod engleskog izvornika; da je, što se tiče stava 1.c člana 5, formulacija "ili kada se to smatra nužnim" u prvom nacrtu predloga glasila "ili kada se to razumno smatra nužnim" i da se to, u engleskoj verziji teksta, jasno odnosi na formulaciju "hapšenje ili pritvor", a ne na formulaciju "radi izvodjenja lica pred nadležni sudski organ"; da je nakon toga ova formulacija bila podvrgnuta samo tehničkoj redakciji;
- da stav 3 člana 5 nije u sukobu sa ovakvim tumačenjem stava 1.c; da se stav 3 odnosi samo na prvu kategoriju slučajeva taksativno navedenih u stavu 1.c, a ne na slučajeve hapšenja i pritvora "kada se to razumno smatra nužnim radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela"; da ovakvo tumačenje ima uporište u činjenici da se u zemljama tzv. "Common Law" sistema licu ne može suditi za nameru izvršenja krivičnog dela;
- obzirom da, takodje, stav 3 člana 5 proističe iz predloga koji je marta 1950. delegacija Ujedinjenog Kraljevstva podnela Komitetu eksperata, koji se sastao da izradi prvi nacrt teksta Konvencije; da je britanski predlog sadržan u nacrtu koji je pripremio Komitet eksperata; da je taj nacrt nakon toga razmatrala Konferencija visokih zvaničnika, koji su iz stava 3 izbrisali formulaciju "ili radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela"; da stav 3 člana 5, nakon izmena unetih od strane visokih zvaničnika, glasi:
" Svako ko je uhapšen ili lišen slobode pod optužbom da je izvršio krivično delo, shodno odredbama stava 1.c ovog člana, biće bez odlaganja izveden pred sudiju ili drugo službeno lice zakonom određeno da obavlja sudske funkcije.";
- da iz prethodnog sledi da je namera visokih zvaničnika bila da stavom 3 člana 5 isključe mogućnost da se lice hapsi ili pritvara radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela; da se takva namera dalje očituje izvodom iz izveštaja koji su visoki zvaničnici podneli Komitetu ministara (Doc. CM/WP 4 (50) 19, str. 14), a koji glasi:
"Konferencija smatra da je potrebno istaći da u situacijama kada se hapšenje ili pritvor nalaže zbog razumne sumnje da je to potrebno radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela, to ne sme dovoditi do uvodjenja režima policijske države. U odredjenim situacijama, medjutim, može biti potrebno da se neko lice uhapsi ili pritvori radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela, čak i kada činjenice koje ukazuju na nameru izvršenja krivičnog dela same po sebi ne mogu da se kvalifikuju kao krivično delo. Da bi se izbegla zloupotreba ovih ovlašćenja od strane nadležnih vlasti, stav 2 člana 13 se mora striktno primenjivati.";
- da jasno sledi iz izveštaja visokih zvaničnika da su oni, svesni opasnosti zloupotreba primene odredbe koja, kao u slučaju stava 1.c člana 5, dopušta hapšenje i pritvor kada se to razumno smatra nužnim radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela, želeli da jasno ukažu na takvu opasnost, i to ne tako što će o tome odlučivati sud, već nalaganjem striktne primene stava 2 člana 13 Konvencije, koji je kasnije preimenovan u član 18; i da je član 5 kasnije samo tehnički redigovan, usled čega, medjutim, značenje samog teksta nije bilo apsolutno jasno, niti su time sprečene mogućnosti njegovog pogrešnog tumačenja;
- budući da Država tvrdi da član 8 Konvencije nije relevantan za predmetni slučaj, s obzirom da Loles nije optužen za izvršenje krivičnog dela;
Budući da se, dalje, stav 1.c člana 5 može tumačiti samo u saglasju sa stavom 3 istog člana, sa kojim on čini jedinstvenu celinu; budući da stav 3 izričito propisuje da "svako ko je uhapšen ili pritvoren po osnovu odredbi stava 1.c ovog člana mora odmah biti izveden pred sudiju..." i da "ima pravo na sudjenje u razumnom roku"; budući da je jasno propisana obaveza da svako lice uhapšeno ili pritvoreno u jednoj od situacija navedenoj u odredbama stava 1.c mora biti izvedeno pred sudiju radi razmatranja pitanja lišavanja slobode ili preispitivanja osnovanosti pritvora; budući da to jeste jasno i prirodno značenje formulacija stavova 1.c i 3 člana 5;
Budući da je takvo tumačenje, koje je rezultat gramatičke analize, u potpunom saglasju sa ciljem Konvencije da obezbedi zaštitu sloboda i bezbednosti lica od prozvoljnog hapšenja i pritvora; budući da se, s tim u vezi, mora istaći da, ukoliko bi tumačenje koje je rečenim odredbama pripisao Sud bilo pogrešno, svako lice za koje se sumnja da namerava da izvrši krivično delo bi moglo biti uhapšeno i pritvoreno na neograničeno vreme samo po osnovu naloga izvršne vlasti i bez mogućnosti da se takvo hapšenje ili pritvor smatra povredom Konvencije; budući da bi takva mogućnost, uz sve implikacije koje proizvoljna ovlašćenja sobom nose, dovela do zaključaka koji su u potpunoj suprotnosti sa osnovnim principima Konvencije; budući da, shodno tome, Sud ne može da poriče jasno i prirodno tumačenje stavova 1.c i 3 člana 5, koje sledi iz precizne formulacije samog teksta i konteksta njegovog značenja; budući da, shodno tome, ne postoji razlog da se Sud saglasi sa analizom stava 3 koju je ponudila Država, po kojoj se ovaj stav primenjuje samo na prvu kategoriju slučajeva taksativno navedenih u stavu 1.c člana 5, a ne i na slučajeve hapšenja i pritvora "kada se to razumno smatra nužnim radi sprečavanja izvršenja krivičnog dela";
Budući da se Sud uverio da je formulacija stavova 1.c i 3 člana 5 sama po sebi dovoljno jasna i da je njeno značenje, sa jedne strane, da svako lice "za koje se ta mera razumno smatra nužnom radi sprečavanja ... izvršenja krivičnog dela" može biti uhapšeno ili pritvoreno samo "radi njegovog izvodjenja pred nadležni sudski organ" i, sa druge strane, da će uhapšeno ili pritvoreno lice biti izvedeno pred sudiju i da ima pravo "na sudjenje u razumnom roku", i da, budući da je Sud takodje ustanovio da je značenje ove formulacije u skladu sa svrhom Konvencije, a imajući u vidu opšte prihvaćene principe tumačenja medjunarodnih ugovora, Sud ne može da uzima u obzir radne verzije takvih formulacija;
U pogledu toga da li je boravak Dž.R. Lolesa u pritvoru od 13. jula do 11. decembra 1957., po osnovu člana 4 Izmenjenog zakona o delima protiv države iz 1940., u sukobu sa obavezama Države koje proističu iz člana 7 Konvencije;
"1. Niko se ne može smatrati krivim za krivično delo izvršeno činjenjem ili nečinjenjem koje, u vreme kada je izvršeno, nije predstavljalo krivično delo po unutrašnjem ili međunarodnom pravu. Isto tako, ne može se izreći stroža kazna od one koja je bila propisana u vreme kada je krivično delo izvršeno.
2. Ovaj član ne utiče na suđenje i kažnjavanje nekog lica za činjenje ili nečinjenje koje se u vreme izvršenja smatralo krivičnim delom prema opštim pravnim načelima koja priznaju civilizovani narodi."
Budući da se argumenti koje je Dž.R. Loles prezentovao Komisiji mogu, u osnovi, svesti na sledeće: zakon iz 1940. je stupio na snagu 8. jula 1957., a on je uhapšen 11. jula 1957.; iz postupka pred Komisijom za pritvor - koja je osnovana sa ciljem preispitivanja osnovanosti pritvora naloženog po osnovu Zakona iz 1940. - se jasno vidi da se ministar koji je potpisao nalog za pritvor rukovodio dogadjajima koji su se navodno desili pre 8. jula 1957.; da analiza materije, a ne forme, Zakona iz 1940. ukazuje da je pritvor mera koja se nalaže za izvršenje krivičnog dela; da dela na koja se odnosi Zakon iz 1940. nisu bila kvalifikovana kao krivična dela pre stupanja na snagu tog zakona 8. jula 1957.; dalje, da je on za navedena krivična dela bio osudjen u redovnom krivičnom postupku, najverovatnije bi dobio mnogo blažu kaznu na koju bi mogao uložiti žalbu u redovnom sudskom postupku;
"(1) U doba rata ili druge javne opasnosti koja preti opstanku nacije, svaka Visoka strana ugovornica može da preduzme mere koje odstupaju od njenih obaveza po ovoj Konvenciji, i to u najnužnijoj meri koju iziskuje hitnost situacije, s tim da takve mere ne budu u neskladu s njenim drugim obavezama prema međunarodnom pravu.
(2)Prethodna odredba ne dopušta odstupanja od člana 2 osim u pogledu smrti prouzrokovane zakonitim ratnim postupcima, ili člana 3, 4 (stav 1) i 7.
(3) Svaka Visoka strana ugovornica koja koristi svoje pravo da odstupi od odredbi Konvencije obaveštava u potpunosti generalnog sekretara Saveta Evrope o merama koje preduzima i razlozima za njih. Ona takođe obaveštava generalnog sekretara Saveta Evrope kada takve mere prestanu da deluju i kada odredbe Konvencije ponovo počnu da se primenjuju u potpunosti."
(a) U pogledu postojanja javne opasnosti koja ugrožava opstanak nacije;
(b) U pogledu da li su te mere koje predstavljaju odstupanje od obaveza preuzetih po osnovu Konvencije bile "striktno naložene nužnošću situacije";
Budući da iz prethodno navedenog sledi da nijedna od ovih mera ne bi omogućila da se reši situacija koja je postojala u Irskoj 1957. godine; budući da je administrativna mera pritvora, uvedena za lica osumnjičena za terorističke aktivnosti po osnovu Izmenjenog zakona iz 1940., po svemu sudeći i bez obzira na njenu težinu bila nužna u datim okolnostima;
Budući da je, na kraju, odmah nakon proklamacije kojom se uvode ovlašćenja nalaganja pritvora Država javno objavila da će naložiti puštanje iz pritvora svakog lice koje se pismenim putem obaveže na poštovanje ustava i zakona i obeća da se neće baviti protivzakonitim aktivnostima, i da je tekst takve pismene izjave kasnije izmenjen u smislu da se od pritvorenika samo zahteva da izjavi da će poštovati zakon i obeća da se neće baviti aktivnostima koje su u suprotnosti sa Zakonom iz 1940.; budući da su uhapšena lica prilikom hapšenja bila obaveštena o mogućnosti da budu puštena iz pritvora odmah po davanju takve izjave; budući da u demokratskoj zemlji kao što je Irska, kada Država javno pruži takve garancije o puštanju iz pritvora, to onda predstavlja zakonsku obavezu Države da pusti iz pritvora svako lice koje takvu izjavu da;
Dalje, budući da iz prethodno navedenog sledi da mera pritvora bez naloga suda po osnovu Zakona iz 1940., koja se imala primenjivati uz sve rečene kontrolne mehanizme, jeste bila mera koju je nužnost situacije striktno nalagala, shodno značenju člana 15 Konvencije;
(c) U pogledu pitanja da li su mere koje predstavljaju odstupanje od obaveza preuzetih po osnovu Konvencije "u suprotnosti sa ... drugim obavezama po osnovu medjunarodnog prava";
U pogledu toga da li se dopis koji je Država 20. jula 1957. uputila generalnom sekretaru Saveta Evrope može smatrati dovoljnim obaveštenjem u smislu stava 3 člana 15 Konvencije;
Budući da Sud u predmetnom slučaju utvrdjuje da je Država, kao potpisnica Konvencije, ispunila svoje obaveze po osnovu stava 3 člana 15 Konvencije;
SUD
Iz svih rečenih razloga, SUD jednoglasno
Odlučuje, shodno tome, da činjenice utvrdjene u predmetnom slučaju ne ukazuju da je Država prekršila obaveze koje proističu iz Evropske konvencije za zaštitu ljudskih prava i osnovnih sloboda;
Odlučuje, shodno tome, da se ne može pokrenuti pitanje prava na nadoknadu štete Dž.R. Lolesu po tom osnovu.
Sačinjeno na francuskom i engleskom jeziku, pri čemu je verzija na francuskom jeziku autentična, u Savetu Evrope u Strazburu, dana prvog jula hiljadudevetstošezdesetprve godine.
R. Kasin, predsednik, sr. P. Modinos, sekretar, sr.
Iako je saglasan sa odlukom, ali ne i sa argumentacijom, sudija G. Maridakis prilaže svoje izdvojeno mišljenje, u skladu sa pravilom 50 (stav 2) Poslovnika Suda.
Paraf: R.K. Paraf: P.M.
IZDVOJENO MIŠLJENJE SUDIJE G. MARIDAKISA
Država Irska nije prekršila odredbe člana 15 Konvencije.
Kada se država bori za opstanak, niko nema pravo da od nje zahteva da se uzdrži od primene specijalnih vanrednih mera: salus rei publicae suprema lex est. To je princip na kome se zasniva član 15.
Uvodeći pravo na odbranu kao nužnu pretpostavku, Konvencija u članu 15 propisuje da "u doba rata ili druge javne opasnosti koja preti opstanku nacije, svaka Visoka strana ugovornica može da preduzme mere koje odstupaju od njenih obaveza po ovoj Konvenciji," pod uslovom da se to radi samo "u najnužnijoj meri koju iziskuje hitnost situacije", s tim da takve mere "ne budu u neskladu s njenim drugim obavezama prema međunarodnom pravu.
Formulacija "javna opasnost koja preti opstanku nacije" podrazumeva krajnje vanrednu situaciju koja ugrožava ili može dovesti u opasnost normalno funkcionisanje sistema javne uprave uspostavljene putem zakonitog izražavanja volje gradjana, kako u pogledu situacije u samoj zemlji, tako i u pogledu njenih odnosa sa drugim državama.
Nakon što je Država ustanovila da su jula 1957. aktivnosti IRE dostigle razmere javne opasnosti koja ugrožava opstanak nacije, ona je, u cilju otklanjanja te opasnosti, 8. jula 1957. stavila na snagu Zakon iz 1940. kojim se unose izmene u Zakon o delima protiv države iz 1939.
U skladu sa stavom 3 člana 15, Država je dopisom od 20. jula 1957. izvestila generalnog sekretara Saveta Evrope o nameri da legalno proglasi stupanje na snagu Zakona iz 1940., i u tom dopisu navodi sledeće:
"Čast nam je da Vašu pažnju skrenemo na član 8 tog zakona kojim se vlada Irske ovlašćuje da formira Komisiju za preispitvanje osnovanosti pritvora svakog pritvorenog lica koje joj se sa takvim zahtevom obrati. Komisija, čije osnivanje taj član propisuje, formirana je 16. jula 1957."
Zakon iz 1940. podrazumeva da će doći do odstupanja od obaveza po osnovu stava 1 i stava 3 člana 5 Konvencije, budući da, za razliku od člana 5, koji predvidja da se rečeno lice ima odmah izvesti pred sudiju, Zakon iz 1940. pruža takvom licu pravo da od Komisije formirane po tom zakonu traži da preispita osnovanost njegovog pritvora.
To odstupanje, medjutim, ne predstavlja prekoračenje u odnosu na "meru koju nužnost situacije striktno nalaže". Država se već nalazila u situaciji stalne borbe protiv pripadnika IRE. Ukoliko je, onda, da bi sprečila IRU u preduzimanju akcija sračunatih na povećavanje stepena javne opasnosti koja ugrožava opstanak nacije, Država usvojila zakon kojim se nalaže hapšenje svakog lica za koje se opravdano sumnja da je u vezi sa tom tajnom i nelegalnom organizacijom, Država time nije prekoračila ograničenja koja nameće stav 15 Konvencije. Dalje, u zakon su ugradjeni mehanizmi zaštite uhapšenog lica. Postoji specijalna komisija koja ispituje osnovanost pritvora takvog lica, čime se to lice štiti od proizvoljnog hapšenja.
Iz toga sledi da je Izmenjeni zakon o delima protiv države iz 1940. predstavljao meru koja jeste bila u skladu sa članom 15 Konvencije, pošto je "nužnost situacije takvu meru striktno nalagala".
Ostaje još da se vidi da li su u slučaju podnosioca predstavke ispunjeni uslovi za hapšenje propisani Zakonom iz 1940. .
Nema nikakve sumnje da je podnosilac predstavke bio pripadnik IRE. Isto tako, nema nikakve sumnje da je IRA bila nelegalna i tajna organizacija protiv koje je Država Irska vodila stalni rat.
Hapšenje podnosioca predstavke u julu 1957. je predstavljalo deo opštih napora Države da onemogući dejstva te nelegalne i tajne organizacije. Tačno je da su aktivnosti IRE u julu 1957. bile oslabile, ali i to je bila smišljena politika rečene organizacije. Da bi se u potpunosti shvatio značaj ove činjenice, ona se ne sme razmatrati izdvojeno, već u svetlu prethodnih aktivnosti IRE, što nužno predstavlja presedan na osnovu koga se cenilo kakve aktivnosti ta organizacija može preduzedi ubuduće.
Dalje, pošto je podnosilac predstavke bivši pripadnik IRE, Država je, sumnjajući da, čak iako više nije pripadnik te organizacije, on može uvek biti angažovan na aktivnostima promovisanja njenih ciljeva, legalno na njega primenila Zakon iz 1940.
Sem toga, iz poštovanja prema tom licu, Država je, kao uslov za njegovo puštanje iz pritvora, od njega samo zatražila da pruži uveravanja da će ubuduće priznavati "ustav i zakone Irske". Ne može se smatrati da je takav uslov u suprotnosti sa Konvencijom.
U takvom uslovu nema ničega što bi se moglo smatrati uvredom ličnosti ili povredom obaveza Države po osnovu Konvencije. Moglo bi se smatrati, na primer, inkompatibilnim sa Konvencijom da je Država sebi dala ovlašćenja da od podnosioca predstavke traži da odbaci politička uverenja za koja se borio kao pripadnik IRE. Takav bi zahtev svakako bio u suprotnosti sa članom 10, po kome svako ima pravo na slobodu izražavanja i slobodu uverenja i pravo primanja i saopštavanja informacija i ideja. Medjutim, iz same formulacije tog člana se vidi da je izjava koju je od podnosioca predstavke zatražila Država kao uslov za puštanje iz pritvora, a kojom bi jemčio da će ubuduće poštovati ustav i zakone Irske, u potpunosti u duhu Konvencije. To je, takodje, očigledno i kada se pogleda, taksativno, pod kojim uslovima je, u većini članova Konvencije, državama dozvoljeno da ograniče ili čak onemoguće uživanje prava pojedinca. Svaki takav slučaj se de facto odnosi na očuvanje javne i nacionalne bezbednosti, teritorijalnog integriteta i održavanja javnog reda (član 2, stav 2.c, član 4, stav 3.c, članovi 5 i 6, član 8, stav 2, član 9, stav 2, i član 11, stav 2).
Shodno tome, ukoliko Visoka strana ugovornica svakome pojedincu u okviru svoje nadležnosti obezbedi uživanja prava i sloboda definisanih u Prvoj glavi Konvencije (član 1), i, ako, sem toga, preduzme sve potrebne mere da se uživanje takvih prava garantuje zakonom, od pojedinca se za uzvrat traži da, bez obzira na lična i druga uverenja, bude lojalan prema državi i ne može se smatrati oslobodjenim od takve obaveze. To je fundamentalni princip koji je sadržan u prethodno navedenim rezervama i ograničenjima prava propisanih Konvencijom. U takvom duhu se tumači i član 17 Konvencije, a isti takav opštepravni princip je sadržan i u maksimi rimskog prava nemo ex suo delicto meliorem suam conditionem facere protest (Zbirka rimskih maksima, 50.17.134, stav 4). (Nemo turpitudinem suam allegans auditur)
Iz prethodno rečenog sledi da je Država, kada je od podnosioca predstavke zatražila da pruži uveravanja da će se vladati u skladu sa ustavom i zakonima zemlje, podnosioca predstavke samo podsetila na njegovu dužnost da iskaže lojalnost nadležnim organima, i da time ni na koji način nije ugrozila prava i slobode propisane Konvencijom, uključujući i pravo na slobodu savesti koja se garantuje članom 9.
Tačno je da je podnosilac predstavke uhapšen 11. jula 1957. po osnovu Zakona iz 1940., i da mu je 16. jula 1957. rečeno da će biti pušten iz pritvora ukoliko se pismenom izjavom obaveže na "poštovanje ustava i zakona Irske" i obeća "da neće pristupiti niti pomagati bilo koju organizaciju koja se smatra nelegalnom po osnovu Zakona o delima protiv države iz 1939".
U periodu od 16. jula do 10. decembra 1957. podnosilac predstavke je odbijao da takvu izjavu da, verovatno kako bi sačekao ishod zahteva upućenog 8. septembra 1957. kojim "od specijalne komisije osnovane po članu 8 Zakona iz 1940. traži da razmotri osnovanost njegovog daljeg zadržavanja u pritvoru", kao i zahteva koji je 8. septembra 1957. uputio Višem sudu Irske, pozivajući se na član 40 irskog ustava, kojim traži da taj sud izda uslovni nalog habeas corpus ad subjiciendum. Viši sud je taj zahtev odbio, a takodje i Vrhovni sud, kome se podnosilac predstavke žalio na odluku Višeg suda. Vrhovni sud je obrazloženje svoje presude objavio 3. decembra 1957., tako da je Komisija za pritvor nastavila postupak razmatranja njegove žalbe 6. i 10. decembra 1957. Podnosilac predstavke je onda pred Komisijom dao usmenu izjavu da se neće baviti aktivnostima koje se smatraju protivzakonitim po osnovu Zakona o delima protiv države iz 1939. i 1940.
U periodu izmedju njegovog hapšenja (na dan 11. jula 1957.) i 10. decembra 1957., podnosilac predstavke je uputio žalbe Višem i Vrhovnom sudu, odbijajući da, dok su postupci u toku, pruži uveravanja koju su od njega tražile irske vlasti kao uslov za puštanje iz pritvora. S obzirom na učinjeno, podnosilac predstavke nema osnova da se žali na lišavanje slobode tokom ovog perioda.
Iz prethodno rečenog sledi da se Zakon iz 1940. o izmenama Zakona iz 1939. ne može kritikovati kao zakon koji je u suprotnosti sa odredbama člana 15 Konvencije, i da mere predvidjene tim zakonom predstavljaju odstupanja koja su u skladu sa rezervama sadržanim u članu 5, stav 1.c Konvencije. Odatle sledi da nema razloga za razmatranje osnovanosti navoda da je Država prekršila svoje obaveze po osnovu potonjih odredbi.
Sa druge strane, predstavka koju je podneo podnosilac se ne može proglasiti neprihvatljivom po osnovu člana 17 Konvencije, pošto je svrha tog člana da unapred isključi mogućnost tumačenja bilo koje odredbe Konvencije kojim bi se poništila prava i slobode garantovane Konvencijom i podržale tendencije i aktivnosti koje su u suprotnosti sa duhom Konvencije, kako je on definisan u njenoj Preambuli. Bez obzira koliko je ponašanje podnosioca predstavke moglo biti neprimereno, ne može se smatrati da se on bavio aktivnostima koje član 17 zabranjuje, a po kom osnovu bi se njegova predstavka mogla odbiti kao neprihvatljiva.
G. MARIDAKIS, sr.
_________________________________________
Prevod presude preuzet sa https://vk.sud.rs/
COURT (CHAMBER)
CASE OFLAWLESS v. IRELAND (No. 3)
(Application no 332/57)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
1 July 1961
In the "Lawless" Case,
The European Court of Human Rights, sitting, in accordance with the provisions of Article 43 (art. 43) of the Convention for the Protectionof Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter referred to as"the Convention") and of Rules 21 and 22 of Rules of the Court, as aChamber composed of:
Mr. R. CASSIN, President
andMM. G.MARIDAKIS
E.RODENBOURG
R.McGONIGAL, ex officio member
G. BALLADORE PALLIERI
E.ARNALDS
K.F.ARIK, Judges
P.MODINOS, Registrar,
delivers the following judgment:
AS TO PROCEDURE
1.The present case was referred to the Court on 13th April 1960 bythe European Commission of Human Rights (hereinafter called "theCommission") dated 12th April 1960.Attached to the request was theReport drawn up by the Commission in accordance with Article 31 (art. 31) of the Convention.The case relates to the Applicationsubmitted to the Commission under Article 25 (art. 25) of theConvention by G. R. Lawless, a national of the Republic of Ireland,against the Government of that State.
2.Preliminary objections and questions of procedure were raised inthe present case by both the Commission and the Irish Government,Party to the case.The Court ruled on these questions in its Judgmentof 14th November 1960.
The procedure followed up to that date is set forth in the Judgment.
3.Following that Judgment, the President of the Chamber, by an Orderof 14th November 1960, set 16th December 1960 as the latest date bywhich the delegates of the Commission were to submit their Memorial and5th February 1961 as the latest date for submission of the IrishGovernment's Counter-Memorial.
Pursuant to that Order, the Commission on 16th December 1960 submitteda "Statement with respect to the Counter-Memorial (merits of thecase)", which was communicated to the Irish Government, Party to thecase, on 19th December 1960.On 3rd February 1961, i.e. before theexpiry of the allotted period, the Irish Government submitted adocument entitled "Observations by the Government of Ireland on theStatement of the European Commission of Human Rights filed on16th December 1960."That document was communicated to the delegatesof the Commission on 7th February 1961, whereupon the case was readyfor examination of the merits.
Before the opening of the oral proceedings, the Principal Delegate ofthe Commission notified the Court, by letter to the Registrar dated14th March 1961, of the views of the Delegates of the Commission on someof the questions raised by the Irish Government in their document of3rd February 1961.The letter of 14th March 1961, a copy of which wassent to the Irish Government, was likewise added to the file on thecase.
4.Public hearings were held at Strasbourg on 7th, 8th, 10th and11th April 1961, at which there appeared:
- for the Commission:
Sir Humphrey Waldock, President of the Commission,
Principal Delegate,
Mr. C. Th.Eustathiades, Vice-President,
and
Mr. S.Petren, Member of the Commission,
Assistant Delegates,
È for the Irish Government, Party to the case :
Mr. A. O'Keeffe, Attorney-General
of Ireland, acting as Agent,
assisted by:
Mr. S. Morrissey, Barrister-at-law,
LegalAdviser, Department ofExternalAffairs,
Mr. A. J.Hederman, Barrister-at-law,Counsel,
and by:
MM. D. O'Donovan, Chief State Solicitor,
P. Berry, Assistant Secretary-General,
Department of Justice.
5.Before entering upon the merits of the case, Sir Humphrey Waldock,Principal Delegate of the Commission, brought up certain questions ofprocedure made the following submission:
"May it please the Court to rule that the Delegates of the Commissionare entitled:
(a) to consider as part of the proceedings in the case those writtenobservations of the Applicant on the Commission's Report contained inparagraphs 31 to 49 of the Commission's statement of 16th December 1960,as indicated on page 15 of the Court's judgment of 14th November 1960;
(b) to make known to the Court the Applicant's point of view on anyspecific points arising in the course of the debates, as indicated onpage 15 of the Court's judgment of 14th November 1960;
(c) to consider the person nominated by the Applicant to be a personavailable to give such assistance to the Delegates as they may thinkfit to request in order to make known to the Court the Applicant's pointof view on any specific points arising in the course of the debates."
Mr. A. O'Keeffe, acting as Agent of the Irish Government, said hewould leave the matter to the discretion of the Court.
6.On this point of procedure the Court gave the following judgmenton 7th April 1961:
"The Court,
Having regard to the conclusions presented by the Delegates of theEuropean Commission of Human Rights at the hearing on 7th April 1961;
Taking note of the fact that the Agent of the Irish Government doesnot intend to submit conclusions on the matter in question;
Whereas in its judgment of 14th November 1960 the Court declared thatthere was no reason at this stage to authorise the Commission totransmit to it the written observations of the Applicant on theCommission's Report;
Whereas in the said judgment, of which the French text only isauthentic, the Court has recognised the Commission's right to takeinto account ("de faire état") the Applicant's views on its ownauthority, as a proper way of enlightening the Court;
Whereas this latitude enjoyed by the Commission extends to any otherviews the Commission may have obtained from the Applicant in thecourse of the proceedings before the Court;
Whereas, on the other hand, the Commission is entirely free to decideby what means it wishes to establish contact with the Applicant andgive him an opportunity to make known his views to the Commission;whereas in particular it is free to ask the Applicant to nominate aperson to be available to the Commission's delegates; whereas it doesnot follow that the person in question has any locus standi injudicio;
For these reasons,
Decides unanimously:
With regard to the conclusions under (a), that at the present stagethe written observations of the Applicant, as reproduced inparagraphs 31 to 49 of the Commission's statement of16th December 1960, are not to be considered as part of theproceedings in the case;
With regard to (b) that the Commission has all latitude, in the courseof debates and in so far as it believes they may be useful toenlighten the Court, to take into account the views of the Applicantconcerning either the Report or any other specific point which mayhave arisen since the lodging of the Report;
With regard to (c), that it was for the Commission, when it consideredit desirable to do so, to invite the Applicant to place some person atits disposal, subject to the reservations indicated above."
7.The Court then heard statements, replies and submissions onmatters of fact and of law relating to the merits of the case, for theCommission: from Sir Humphrey Waldock, Principal Delegate; for theIrish Government: from Mr. A. O'Keeffe, Attorney-General, acting asAgent.
AS TO THE FACTS
I
1.The purpose of the Commission's request - to which is appended theReport drawn up by the Commission in accordance with the provisions ofArticle 31 (art. 31) of the Convention - is to submit the case ofG.R. Lawless to the Court so that it may decide whether or not thefacts of the case disclose that the Irish Government has failed in itsobligations under the Convention.
As appears from the Commission's request and from its Memorial,G.R. Lawless alleges in his Application that, in his case, theConvention has been violated by the authorities of the Republic ofIreland, inasmuch as, in pursuance of an Order made by the Minister ofJustice under section 4 of Act No. 2 of 1940 amending the Offencesagainst the State Act, 1939, he was detained without trial, between13th July and 11th December 1957, in a military detention campsituated in the territory of the Republic of Ireland.
2.The facts of the case, as they appear from the Report of theCommission, the memorials, evidence and documents laid before theCourt and the statements made by the Commission and by the IrishGovernment during the oral hearings before the Court, are in substanceas follows:
3.G.R. Lawless is a builder's labourer, born in 1936.He isordinarily resident in Dublin (Ireland).
4.G.R. Lawless admitted before the Commission that he had become amember of the IRA ("Irish Republican Army") in January 1956.Accordingto his own statements, he left the IRA in June 1956 and a splinter groupof the IRA in December 1956.
II
5.Under the Treaty establishing the Irish Free State, signed on6th December 1921 between the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State,six counties situated in the North of the Island of Ireland remainedunder British sovereignty.
6.On several occasions since the foundation of the Irish Free State,armed groups, calling themselves the "Irish Republican Army" (IRA),have been formed, for the avowed purpose of carrying out acts ofviolence to put an end to British sovereignty in Northern Ireland.Attimes the activities of these groups have been such that effectiverepression by the ordinary process of law was not possible.From timeto time, the legislature has, therefore, conferred upon the Governmentspecial powers deal with the situation created by these unlawfulactivities; and such powers have sometimes included the power ofdetention without trial.
On 29th December 1937 the Constitution at present in force in theIrishRepublic was promulgated.In May 1938 all persons detained forpolitical offences were released.
When the political situation in Europe foreshadowed war, the IRAresumed its activities and committed fresh acts of violence.
At the beginning of 1939 the IRA published documents described by itas a "declaration of war on Great Britain".Following thatdeclaration, the IRA, operating from territory of the Republic ofIreland, intensified its acts of violence on British territory.
7.In order to meet the situation created by the activities of theIRA, the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland passed the Offencesagainst the State Act, 1939, which came into force on 14th June 1939.
III
8.Part II of the 1939 Act defines the "activities prejudicial to thepreservation of public peace and order or to the security of the State".Part III contains provisions relating to organisations whoseactivities come under the Act and any which may therefore be declaredan "unlawful organisation" by order of the Government.Section 21 ofthe 1939 Act provides as follows:
Section 21:
"(1) It shall not be lawful for any person to be a member of anunlawful organisation;
(2) Every person who is a member of an unlawful organisation incontravention of this section shall be guilty of an offence under thissection and shall:
(a) on summary conviction thereof, be liable to a fine not exceedingfifty pounds, or at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for aterm not exceeding three months or to both such fine and suchimprisonment; or
(b) on conviction thereof on indictment, be liable to imprisonment fora term not exceeding two years."
Part IV of the 1939 Act contains various provisions relating to therepression of unlawful activities, including, in section 30, thefollowing provision relating to the arrest and detention of personssuspected of being concerned in unlawful activities:
Section 30:
"(1) A member of the Gárda Síochána (if he is not in uniform onproduction of his identity card if demanded) may without warrant stop,search, interrogate, and arrest any person, or do any one or more ofthose things in respect of any person, whom he suspects of havingcommitted or being about to commit or being or having been concernedin the commission of an offence under any section or sub-section ofthis Act, or an offence which is for the time being a scheduledoffence for the purposes of Part V of this Act or whom he suspects ofcarrying a document relating to the commission or intended commissionof any such offence as aforesaid.
(2) Any member of the Gárda Síochána (if he is not in uniform onproduction of his identity card if demanded) may, for the purpose ofthe exercise of any of the powers conferred by the next precedingsub-section of this section, stop and search (if necessary by force)any vehicle or any ship, boat, or other vessel which he suspects tocontain a person whom he is empowered by the said sub-section toarrest without warrant.
(3) Whenever a person is arrested under this section, he may beremoved to and detained in custody in a Gárda Síochána station, aprison, or some other convenient place for a period of twenty-four,hours from the time of his arrest and may, if an officer of the GárdaSíochána not below the rank of Chief Superintendent so directs, be sodetained for a further period of twenty-four hours.
(4) A person detained under the next preceding sub-section of thissection may, at any time during such detention, be charged before theDistrict Court or a Special Criminal Court with an offence, or bereleased by direction of an officer of the Gárda Síochána, and shall,if not so charged or released, be released at the expiration of thedetention authorised by the said sub-section.
(5) A member of the Gárda Síochána may do all or any of the followingthings in respect of a person detained under this section, that is tosay:
(a) demand of such person his name and address;
(b) search such person or cause him to be searched;
(c) photograph such person or cause him to be photographed;
(d) take, or cause to be taken, the fingerprints of such person.
(6) Every person who shall obstruct or impede the exercise in respectof him by a member of the Gárda Síochána of any of the powersconferred by the next preceding sub-section of this section or shallfail or refuse to give his name and address or shall give, in responseto any such demand, a name or an address which is false or misleadingshall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liableon summary conviction thereof to imprisonment for a term not exceedingsix months."
Part V of the 1939 Act is concerned with the establishment of "SpecialCriminal Courts" to try persons charged with offences under the Act.
Lastly, Part VI of the 1939 Act contained provisions authorising any
Minister of State - once the Government had brought that Part of theAct into force - to order, in certain circumstances, the arrest anddetention of any person whom he was satisfied was engaged in activities declared unlawful by the Act.
9.On 23rd June 1939, i.e. nine days after the entry into force ofthe Offences Against the State Act, the Government made an order undersection 19 of the Act that the IRA, declared an "unlawful organisation",be dissolved.
10.About 70 persons were subsequently arrested and detained underPart VI of the Act.One of those persons brought an action in theHigh Court of Ireland, challenging the validity of his detention.The High Court declared the detention illegal and ordered the releaseof the person concerned by writ of habeas corpus.
The Government had all the persons detained under the same clausesreleased forthwith.
11.Taking note of the High Court's judgment, the Government tabledin Parliament a Bill to amend Part VI of the Offences against theState Act, 1939.The Bill, after being declared constitutional by theSupreme Court, was passed by Parliament on 9th February 1940, becomingthe Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940 (No. 2 of 1940).
This Act No. 2 of 1940 confers on Ministers of State special powers ofdetention without trial, "if and whenever and so often as theGovernment makes and publishes a proclamation declaring that the powersconferred by this Part of this Act are necessary to secure thepreservation of public peace and order and that it is expedient thatthis Part of this Act should come into force immediately"(section 3, sub-section (2) of the Act).
Under section 3, sub-section (4) of the Act, however, a Governmentproclamation bringing into force the special powers of detention maybe annulled at any time by a simple resolution of the Lower House ofthe Irish Parliament.
Moreover, under section 9 of the Act both Houses of Parliament must bekept fully informed, at regular intervals, of the manner in which thepowers of detention have been exercised.
12.The powers of detention referred to in the Act are vested inMinisters of State.Section 4 of the Act provides as follows:
"(1) Whenever a Minister of State is of opinion that any particularperson is engaged in activities which, in his opinion, are prejudicialto the preservation of public peace and order or to the security ofthe State, such Minister may by warrant under his hand and sealed withhis official seal order the arrest and detention of such person underthis section.
(2) Any member of the Gárda Síochána may arrest without warrant anyperson in respect of whom a warrant has been issued by a Minister ofState under the foregoing sub-section of this section.
(3) Every person arrested under the next preceding sub-section of thissection shall be detained in a prison or other place prescribed inthat behalf by regulations made under this Part of this Act until thisPart of this Act ceases to be in force or until he is released underthe subsequent provisions of this Part of this Act, whichever firsthappens.
(4) Whenever a person is detained under this section, there shall befurnished to such person, as soon as may be after he arrives at aprison or other place of detention prescribed in that behalf byregulations made under this Part of this Act, a copy of the warrantissued under this section in relation to such person and of theprovisions of section 8 of this Act".
13.Under section 8 of the Offences against the State (Amendment)Act, 1940, the Government is required to set up, as soon asconveniently may be after the entry into force of the powers ofdetention without trial, a Commission (hereinafter referred to as"Detention Commission") to which any person arrested or detained underthe Act may apply, through the Government, to have his caseconsidered.The Commission is to consist of three persons, appointedby the Government, one to be a commissioned officer of the DefenceForces with not less than seven years' service and each of the othersto be a barrister or solicitor of not less than seven years' standingor a judge or former judge of one of the ordinary courts.Lastly,section 8 of the Act provides that, if the Commission reports that noreasonable grounds exist for the continued detention of the personconcerned, such person shall, with all convenient speed, be released.
IV
14.After several years during which there was very little IRAactivity, there was a renewed outbreak in 1954 and again in the secondhalf of 1956.
In the second half of December 1956 armed attacks were made on anumber of Northern Ireland police barracks and at the end of the montha policeman was killed.In the same month a police patrol on borderroads was fired on, trees were felled across roads and telephone wirescut, etc.In January 1957 there were more incidents of the same kind.At the beginning of the month there was an armed attack onBrookeborough Police Barracks during which two of the assailants werekilled; both of them came from the 26-county area.Twelve others, ofwhom four were wounded, fled across the border and were arrested bythe police of the Republic of Ireland.Thereupon, the Prime Ministerof the Republic of Ireland, in a public broadcast address on6th January 1957, made a pressing appeal to the public to put an endto these attacks.
Six days after this broadcast, namely, on 12th January 1957, the IRAcarried out an armed raid on an explosives store in the territory ofthe Republic of Ireland, situated at Moortown, CountyDublin, for thepurpose of stealing explosives.On 6th May 1957, armed groups enteredan explosives store at Swan Laois, held up the watchman and stole aquantity of explosives.
On 18th April 1957, the main railway line from Dublin to Belfast wasclosed by an explosion which caused extensive damage to the railwaybridge at Ayallogue in County Armagh, about 5 miles on the northernside of the border.
During the night of 25th-26th April, three explosions between Lurganand Portadown, in Northern Ireland, also damaged the same railway line.
On the night of 3rd/4th July a Northern Ireland police patrol on dutya short distance from the border was ambushed.One policeman was shotdead and another injured.At the scene of the ambush 87 sticks ofgelignite were found to have been placed on the road and covered withstones, with wires leading to a detonator.
This incident occurred only eight days before the annual OrangeProcessions which are widespread throughout Northern Ireland on12th July.In the past, this date has been particularly critical forthe maintenance of peace and public order.
V
15.The special powers of arrest and detention conferred upon theMinisters of State by the 1940 (Amendment) Act were brought into force on8th July 1957 by a Proclamation of the Irish Government published in theOfficial Gazette on 5th July 1957.
On 16th July 1957, the Government set up the Detention Commissionprovided for in section 8 of that Act and appointed as members of thatCommission an officer of Defence Forces, a judge and a districtJustice.
16.The Proclamation by which the Irish Government brought into forceon 8th July 1957 the special powers of detention provided for inPart II of the 1940 Act (No. 2) read as follows:
"The Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on them bysub-section (2) of section 3 of the Offences against the State(Amendment) Act, 1940, (No. 2 of 1940), hereby declare that the powersconferred by Part II of the said Act are necessary to secure thepreservation of public peace and order and that it is expedient thatthe said part of the said Act should come into force immediately."
17.By letter of 20th July 1957 the Irish Minister for ExternalAffairs informed the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe thatPart II of the Offences against the State Act, 1940 (No. 2) had come intoforce on 8th July 1957.
Paragraph 2 of that letter read as follows:
"...Insofar as the bringing into operation of Part II of the Act,which confers special powers of arrest and detention, may involve anyderogation from the obligations imposed by the Convention for theProtection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, I have the honourto request you to be good enough to regard this letter as informingyou accordingly, in compliance with Article 15 (3) (art. 15-3)of the Convention."
The letter pointed out that the detention of persons under the Act wasconsidered necessary "to prevent the commission of offences againstpublic peace and order and to prevent the maintaining of military orarmed forces other than those authorised by the Constitution."
The Secretary-General's attention was called to section 8 of the Actwhich provides for the establishment of a Commission to which anydetained person can appeal.This Commission was set up on16th July 1957.
18.Soon after the publication of the Proclamation of 5th July 1957bringing into force the powers of detention provided for under the1940 Act, the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic ofIreland announced that the Government would release any person heldunder that Act who undertook "to respect the Constitution and the lawsof Ireland" and "to refrain from being a member of or assisting anyorganisation declared unlawful under the Offences against the StateAct, 1939".
VI
19.G.R. Lawless was first arrested with three other men on21st September 1956 in a disused barn at Keshcarrigan, CountyLeitrim.The police discovered in the barn a Thompson machine-gun, six armyrifles, six sporting guns, a revolver, an automatic pistol and400 magazines.Lawless admitted that he was a member of the IRA andthat he had taken part in an armed raid when guns and revolvers hadbeen stolen.He was subsequently charged on 18th October withunlawful possession of firearms under the Firearms Act, 1935 and underSection 21 of the Offences against the State Act, 1939.
G.R. Lawless, together with the other accused, was sent forward fortrial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.On 23rd November 1956, theywere acquitted of the charge of unlawful possession of arms.Thetrial judge had directed the jury that the requirements for proving theaccussed's guilt had not been satisfied in that it not beenconclusively shown that no competent authority had issued a firearmcertificate authorising him to be in possession of the arms concerned.
At the hearing before this Court on 26th October, the District Justiceasked one of the accused, Sean Geraghty, whether he wished to put anyquestions to any of the policemen present.Sean Geraghty replied asfollows:
"As a soldier of the Irish Republican Army and as leader of these men,I do not wish to have any part in proceedings in this Court."
When asked by the Justice whether he pleaded guilty or not guilty tothe charge, he again said:
"On behalf of my comrades and myself I wish to state that any arms andammunition found on us were to be used against the British Forces ofoccupation to bring about the re-unification of our country and noIrishman or woman of any political persuasion had anything to fearfrom us.We hold that it is legal to possess arms and also believe itis the duty of every Irishman to bear arms in defence of his country."
Subsequently, G.R. Lawless in reply to a question by the Justicesaid: "Sean Geraghty spoke for me."
Lawless was again arrested in Dublin on 14th May 1957 under section 30of the 1939 Act, on suspicion of engaging in unlawful activities.Asketch map for an attack of certain frontier posts between the IrishRepublic and Northern Ireland was found on him bearing the inscription"Infiltrate, annihilate and destroy."
On the same day his house was searched by the police who found amanuscript document on guerrilla warfare containing, inter alia, thefollowing statements:
"The resistance movement is the armed vanguard of the Irish peoplefighting for the freedom of Ireland.The strength of the movementconsists in the popular patriotic character of the movement.Thebasic mission of local resistance units are the destruction of enemyinstallations and establishments that is TA halls, special huts, BArecruiting offices, border huts, depots, etc.
Attacks against enemy aerodromes and the destruction of aircrafthangars, depots of bombs and fuel, the killing of key flying personneland mechanics, the killing or capture of high-ranking enemy officersand high officials of the enemy's colonial Government and traitors toour country in their pay, that is, British officers, police agents,touts, judges, high members of the Quisling party, etc."
After being arrested, G.R. Lawless was charged:
(a) with possession of incriminating documents contrary to section 12of the 1939 Act;
(b) with membership of an unlawful organisation, the IRA, contrary tosection 21 of the 1939 Act.
On 16th May 1957, G.R. Lawless was brought before the Dublin DistrictCourt together with three other men who were also charged with similaroffences under the 1939 Act.The Court convicted Lawless on the firstcharge and sentenced him to one month's imprisonment; it acquitted himon the second charge.The Court record showed that the second chargewas dismissed "on the merits" of the case but no official report ofthe proceedings appears to be available.The reasons for thisacquittal were not clearly established.G.R. Lawless was released onabout 16th June 1957, after having served his sentence in MountjoyPrison, Dublin.
20.G.R. Lawless was re-arrested on 11th July 1957 at Dun Laoghaireby Security Officer Connor when about to embark on a ship forEngland.He was detained for 24 hours at Bridewell Police Station inDublin under section 30 of the 1939 Act, as being a suspected member ofan unlawful organisation, namely the IRA.
Detective-Inspector McMahon told the Applicant on the same day that hewould be released provided that he signed an undertaking in regard tohis future conduct.No written form of the undertaking proposed was putto G.R. Lawless and its exact terms are in dispute.
On 12th July 1957, the Chief Superintendent of Police, acting undersection 30, sub-section 3 of the 1939 Act, made an order thatG.R. Lawless be detained for a further period of 24 hours expiring at7.45 p.m. on 13th July 1957.
At 6 a.m. on 13th July 1957, however, before Lawless' detention undersection 30 of the 1939 Act had expired, he was removed from theBridewell Police Station and transferred to the military prison in theCurragh, Co. Kildare (known as the "Glass House").He arrived thereat 8 a.m. on the same day and was detained from that time under an ordermade on 12th July 1957 by the Minister for Justice under section 4of the 1940 Act.Upon his arrival at the "Glass House", he was handeda copy of the above-mentioned detention order in which the Ministerfor Justice declared that G.R. Lawless was, in his opinion, engaged inactivities prejudicial to the security of the State and he ordered hisarrest and detention under section 40 of the 1940 Act.
From the "Glass House", G.R. Lawless was transferred on17th July 1957 to a camp known as the "Curragh Internment Camp", whichforms part of the Curragh Military Camp and Barracks in CountyKildare, and together with some 120 other persons, was detained therewithout charge or trial until 11th December 1957 when he was released.
21.On 16th August 1957 G.R. Lawless was informed that he would bereleased provided he gave an undertaking in writing "to respect theConstitution and laws of Ireland" and not to "be a member of or assistany organisation which is an unlawful organisation under the Offencesagainst the State Act, 1939."G.R. Lawless declined to give thisundertaking.
22.On 8th September 1957 G.R. Lawless exercised the right,conferred upon him by section 8 of the 1940 Act, to apply to have thecontinuation of his detention considered by the Detention Commissionset up under the same section of that Act.He appeared before thatCommission on 17th September 1957 and was represented by counsel andsolicitors.The Detention Commission, sitting for the first time,adopted certain rules of procedure and adjourned until 20th September.
23.On 18th September 1957, however, G.R. Lawless' counsel also madean application to the Irish High Court, under Article 40 of the IrishConstitution, for a Conditional Order of habeas corpus adsubjiciendum.The object of the application was that the Court shouldorder the Commandant of the detention camp to bring G.R. Lawlessbefore the Court in order that it might examine and decide upon thevalidity of detention.A Conditional Order of habeas corpus wouldhave the effect of requiring the Commandant to "show cause" to theHigh Court why he should not comply with that Order.
The Conditional Order was granted on the same date and was served onthe Commandant giving him a period of four days to "show cause".Itwas also served upon the Detention Commission.The DetentionCommission sat on 20th September 1957, and decided to adjourn thehearing sine die pending the outcome of the habeas corpus application.
24.G.R. Lawless then applied, by a motion to the High Court, to havethe Conditional Order made "absolute", notwithstanding the fact thatthe Commandant of the Detention Camp had in the meantime "shown cause"opposing this application.The Commandant had, in this connection,relied upon the order for the Applicant's detention which had beenmade by the Minister for Justice.
The High Court sat from 8th to 11th October 1957 and heard full legalsubmissions by counsel for both parties.On 11th October it gavejudgment allowing the "cause shown" by the campCommandant to justifydetention.The habeas corpus application was therefore dismissed.
25.On 14th October 1957 G.R. Lawless appealed to the Supreme Court,invoking not only the Constitution and laws of Ireland but also theEuropean Convention of Human Rights.On 6th November the Supreme Courtdismissed G.R. Lawless' appeal.It gave its reasoned judgment on3rd December 1957.
The main grounds of the Supreme Court's judgment were as follows:
(a) The 1940 Act, when in draft form as a Bill, had been referred tothe Supreme Court for decision as to whether it was repugnant to theIrish Constitution.The Supreme Court had decided that it was notrepugnant and Article 34 (3) 3 of the Constitution declared that nocourt had competence to question the constitutional validity of a lawwhich had been approved as a Bill by the Supreme Court.
(b) The Oireachtas (i.e. the Parliament) which was the solelegislative authority had not introduced legislation to make theConvention of Human Rights part of the municipal law of Ireland.TheSupreme Court could not, therefore, give effect to the Convention ifit should appear to grant rights other than, or supplementary to,those provided under Irish municipal law.
(c) The appellant's period of detention under section 30 of the1939 Act was due to expire at 7.45 p.m. on 13th July 1957.At thattime he was already being detained under another warrant issued by theMinister for Justice and his detention without release was quiteproperly continued under the second warrant.
(d) The appellant had not established a prima facie case in regard tohis allegation that he had not been told the reason for his arrestunder the Minister's warrant.An invalidity in the arrest, even ifestablished, would not, however, have rendered his subsequentdetention unlawful whatever rights it might otherwise have given theappellant under Irish law.
(e) The Court had already decided, when considering the 1940 Act as aBill, that it had no power to question the opinion of a Minister whoissued a warrant for detention under section 4 of that Act.
(f) The appellant in the habeas corpus proceedings before the HighCourt had challenged the legality of the constitution of the DetentionCommission.Even if it was shown that the Commission's rulings onvarious procedural matters were wrong, that would not make theappellant's detention unlawful nor would it provide a basis for anapplication for habeas corpus.Section 8 of the 1940 Act showed thatthe Commission was not a court and an application before it was not aform of proceedings but no more than an enquiry of an administrativecharacter.
26.Meanwhile, on 8th November 1957 - that is two days after theannouncement of the Supreme Court's rejection of his appeal -G.R. Lawless had introduced his Application before the EuropeanCommission of Human Rights, alleging that his arrest and detentionunder the 1940 Act, without charge or trial, violated the Conventionand he claimed:
(a) immediate release from detention;
(b) payment of compensation and damages for his detention;
and
(c) payment of all the costs and expenses of, and incidental to theproceedings instituted by him in the Irish courts and before theCommission to secure his release.
27.Shortly afterwards the Detention Commission resumed itsconsideration of the case of G.R. Lawless under section 8 of the 1940 Act and held hearings for that purpose on 6th and 10th December 1957.On the latter date, at the invitation of the Attorney-General,G.R. Lawless in person before the Detention Commission gave a verbalundertaking that he would not "engage in any illegal activities underthe Offences against the State Acts, 1939 and 1940", and on thefollowing day an order was made by the Minister for Justice, undersection 6 of the 1940 Act, releasing the Applicant from detention.
28.The release of G.R. Lawless from detention was notified to theEuropean Commission of Human Rights by his solicitor in a letter dated16th December 1957.The letter at the same time stated that G.R. Lawlessintended to continue the proceedings before the Commission with regard to(a) the claim for compensation and damages for his detention and (b) theclaim for reimbursement of all costs and expenses in connection withthe proceedings undertaken to obtain his release.
VII
29.At the written and oral proceedings before the Court, theEuropean Commission of Human Rights and the Irish Government made thefollowing submissions:
The Commission, in its Memorial of 27th June 1960:
"May it please the Court to take into consideration the findings ofthe Commission in its Report on the case of Gerard Richard Lawless and
(1) to decide:
(a) whether or not the detention of the Applicant without trial from13th July to 11th December 1957 under section 4 of the Offencesagainst the State (Amendment) Act, 1940, was in conflict with theobligations of the Respondent Government under Articles 5 and 6(art. 5, art. 6) of the Convention;
(b) whether or not such detention was in conflict with the obligationsof the Respondent Government under Article 7 (art. 7) of the Convention;
(2) if such detention was in conflict with the obligations of theRespondent Government under Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6) of theConvention, to decide:
(a) whether or not the Government's letter to the Secretary-General of20th July 1957 was a sufficient communication for the purposes ofArticle 15, paragraph (3) (art. 15-3) of the Convention;
(b) whether or not, from 13th July to 11th December 1957, thereexisted a public emergency threatening the life of the nation, within the meaning of Article 15, paragraph (1) (art. 15-1) of the Convention;
(c) if such an emergency did exist during that period, whether or notthe measure of detaining persons without trial under section 4 of the1940 Act, as it was applied by the Government, was a measure strictlyrequired by the exigencies of the situation;
(3) to decide whether or not the Applicant is, in any event, precludedby Article 17 (art. 17) of the Convention from invoking the provisionsof Articles 5, 6 and 7 (art. 5, art. 6, art. 7);
(4) in the light of its decisions on the questions inparagraphs 1-3 of these submissions, to adjudge and declare:
(a) whether or not the facts disclose any breach by the RespondentGovernment of its obligations under the Convention;
(b) if so, what compensation, if any, is due to the Applicant inrespect of the breach."
30.The Agent of the Irish Government, at the public hearing on10th April 1961:
"May it please the Court to decide and declare that the answers to thequestions contained in paragraph 58 of the Commission's Memorial of27th June 1960 are as follows:
1.
(a) That the detention of the Applicant was not in conflict withthe obligations of the Government under Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5,art. 6) of the Convention.
(b) That such detention was not in conflict with the obligations ofthe Government under Article 7 (art. 7) of the Convention.
2.
(a) That the Government's letter of 20th July 1957 was a sufficientcommunication for the purposes of paragraph (3) of Article 15(art. 15-3) of the Convention or, alternatively, that in the presentcase, the Government are not by any of the provisions of the saidparagraph (3) (art. 15-3) deprived from relying on paragraph (1)of Article 15 (art. 15-1).
(b) That from 13th July 1957 to 11th December 1957 there did exist apublic emergency threatening the life of the nation, within themeaning of Article 15, paragraph (1) (art. 15-1), of the Convention.
(c) That the measure of detaining persons without trial, as it was applied by the Government, was a measure strictly required by theexigencies of the situation.
3. That the Applicant is in any event precluded by Article 17(art. 17) of the Convention from invoking the provisions ofArticles 5, 6 and 7 (art. 5, art. 6, art. 7) of the Convention.
4.
(a) That the facts do not disclose any breach by the Government oftheir obligations under the Convention.
(b) That, by reason of the foregoing, no question of compensationarises."
THE LAW
1.Whereas it has been established that G.R. Lawless was arrested bythe Irish authorities on 11th July 1957 under sections 21 and 30 of theOffences against the State Act (1939) No. 13; that on 13th July 1957,before the expiry for the order for arrest made under Act No. 13 of1939, G.R. Lawless was handed a copy of a detention order made on12th July 1957 by the Minister of Justice under section 4 of theOffences against the State (Amendment) Act 1940; and that he wassubsequently detained, first in the military prison in the Curragh andthen in the Curragh Internment Camp, until his release on11th December 1957 without having been brought before a judge duringthat period;
2.Whereas the Court is not called upon to decide on the arrestof G.R. Lawless on 11th July 1957, but only, in the light of thesubmissions put forward both by the Commission and by the IrishGovernment, whether or not the detention of G.R. Lawless from13th July to 11th December 1957 under section 4 of the Offencesagainst the State (Amendment) Act, 1940, complied with thestipulations of the Convention;
3.Whereas, in this connection the Irish Government has put inagainst the Application of G.R. Lawless a plea in bar as to the meritsderived from Article 17 (art. 17) of the Convention; whereas this pleain bar should be examined first;
As to the plea in bar derived from Article 17 (art. 17) ofthe Convention.
4.Whereas Article 17 (art. 17) of the Convention provides asfollows:
"Nothing in this Convention may be interpreted as implying for anyState, group or person any right to engage in any activity or performany act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms setforth herein or at their limitation to a greater extent than isprovided for in the Convention".
5.Whereas the Irish Government submitted to the Commission andreaffirmed before the Court (i) that G.R. Lawless, at the time of hisarrest in July 1957, was engaged in IRA activities; (ii) that theCommission, in paragraph 138 of its Report, had already observed thathis conduct was "such as to draw upon the Applicant the gravest suspicionthat, whether or not he was any longer a member, he was still concernedwith the activities of the IRA at the time of his arrest in July 1957";(iii) that the IRA was banned on account of its activity aimedat the destruction of the rights and freedoms set forth in theConvention; that, in July 1957, G.R. Lawless was thus concerned inactivities falling within the terms of Article 17 (art. 17) of theConvention; that he therefore no longer had a right to rely onArticles 5, 6, 7 (art. 5, art. 6, art. 7) or any other Article of theConvention; that no State, group or person engaged in activitiesfalling within the terms of Article 17 (art. 17) of the Convention mayrely on any of the provisions of the Convention; that thisconstruction was supported by the Commission's decision on theadmissibility of the Application submitted to it in 1957 by the GermanCommunist Party; that, however, where Article 17 (art. 17) is applied,a Government is not released from its obligation towards otherContracting Parties to ensure that its conduct continues to complywith the provisions of the Convention;
6.Whereas the Commission, in the Report and in the course of thewritten pleadings and oral hearings before the Court, expressed theview that Article 17 (art. 17) is not applicable in the present case;whereas the submissions of the Commission on this point may besummarised as follows: that the general purpose of Article 17(art. 17) is to prevent totalitarian groups from exploiting in theirown interest the principles enunciated by the Convention; but that toachieve that purpose it is not necessary to take away every one of therights and freedoms guaranteed in the Convention from persons found tobe engaged in activities aimed at the destruction of any of thoserights and freedoms; that Article 17 (art. 17) covers essentiallythose rights which, if invoked, would facilitate the attempt to derivetherefrom a right to engage personally in activities aimed at thedestruction of "any of the rights and freedoms set forth in theConvention"; that the decision on the admissibility of the Applicationsubmitted by the German Communist Party (Application No. 250/57) wasperfectly consistent with this construction of Article 17 (art. 17);that there could be no question, in connection with that Application,of the rights set forth in Articles 9, 10 and 11 (art. 9, art. 10,art. 11) of the Convention, since those rights, if extended to theCommunist Party, would have enabled it to engage in the veryactivities referred to in Article 17 (art. 17);
Whereas, in the present case, the Commission was of the opinion that,even if G. R. Lawless was personally engaged in IRA activities at thetime of his arrest, Article 17 (art. 17) did not preclude him fromclaiming the protection of Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6) of theConvention nor absolve the Irish Government from observing theprovisions of those Articles, which protect every person againstarbitrary arrest and detention without trial;
7.Whereas in the opinion of the Court the purpose of Article 17(art. 17), insofar as it refers to groups or to individuals, is tomake it impossible for them to derive from the Convention a right toengage in any activity or perform any act aimed at destroying any ofthe rights and freedoms set forth in the Convention; whereas,therefore, no person may be able to take advantage of the provisionsof the Convention to perform acts aimed at destroying the aforesaidrights and freedoms; whereas this provision which is negative in scopecannot be construed a contrario as depriving a physical person of thefundamental individual rights guaranteed by Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5,art. 6) of the Convention; whereas, in the present instanceG.R. Lawless has not relied on the Convention in order to justify orperform acts contrary to the rights and freedoms recognised thereinbut has complained of having been deprived of the guarantees grantedin Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6) of the Convention; whereas,accordingly, the Court cannot, on this ground, accept the submissionsof the Irish Government.
As to whether the detention of G.R. Lawless without trial from13th July to 11th December 1957 under Section 4 of the Offencesagainst the State (Amendment) Act 1940, conflicted with the IrishGovernment's obligations under Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6)of the Convention.
8.Whereas Article 5 (art. 5) of the Convention reads as follows:
"(1) Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person.No one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the following casesand in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law:
(a) the lawful detention of a person after conviction by a competentcourt;
(b) the lawful arrest or detention of a person for non-compliancewith the lawful order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment of any obligation prescribed by law;
(c) the lawful arrest or detention of a person effected for thepurpose of bringing him before the competent legal authorityon reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence or when itis reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing anoffence or fleeing after having done so;
(d) the detention of a minor by lawful order for the purpose ofeducational supervision of his lawful detention for the purposeof bringing him before the competent legal authority;
(e) the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of thespreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind,alcoholics or drug addicts or vagrants;
(f) the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent hiseffecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a personagainst whom action is being taken with a view to deportationor extradition.
(2) Everyone who is arrested shall be informed promptly, in a languagewhich he understands, of the reasons for his arrest and of any chargeagainst him.
(3) Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions ofparagraph 1 (c) of this Article (art. 5-1-c) shall be brought promptlybefore a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicialpower and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or torelease pending trial.Release may be conditioned by guarantees toappear for trial.
(4) Everyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detentionshall be entitled to take proceedings by which the lawfulness of hisdetention shall be decided speedily by a court and his release orderedif the detention is not lawful.
(5) Everyone who has been the victim of arrest or detention incontravention of the provisions of this Article (art. 5)shall have an enforceable right to compensation."
9.Whereasthe Commission, in its Report, expressedthe opinion thatthedetention of G.R. Lawlessdid not fallwithinany of thecategories of cases listed in Article 5, paragraph 1 (art. 5-1) of theConvention andhencewas not a measuredeprivative of liberty whichwasauthorised by thesaid clause; whereasitisstated in thatopinion thatunder Article 5, paragraph 1 (art. 5-1), deprivation ofliberty isauthorised in six separatecategories of cases of whichonlythosereferred to in sub-paragraphs (b) (art. 5-1-b) in fine ("inorder to securethefulfilment of any obligation prescribed by law")and (c) (art. 5-1-c) of thesaidparagraphcomeintoconsideration inthepresent instance, theIrishGovernmenthavinginvokedeach ofthose sub-paragraphsbeforethe Commission as justifyingthedetentionof G.R. Lawless; that, with regard to Article 5, paragraph 1 (b)(art. 5-1-b) in fine, thedetention of Lawless by order of a Ministerof State on suspicion of beingengaged in activitiesprejudicial tothepreservation of public peaceandorder or to thesecurity of theState cannotbedeemed to be a measuretaken "in order to securethefulfilment of any obligation prescribed by law", sincethat clausedoes not contemplatearrest or detention for theprevention ofoffences against public peace and public order or against the securityof the State but for securing the execution of specific obligationsimposed by law;
That, moreover, according to the Commission, the detention ofG. R. Lawless is not covered by Article 5, paragraph 1 (c)(art. 5-1-c), since he was not brought before the competent judicialauthority during the period under review; that paragraph 1 (c)(art. 5-1-c) authorises the arrest or detention of a person onsuspicion of being engaged in criminal activities only when it iseffected for the purpose of bringing him before the competent judicialauthority; that the Commission has particularly pointed out in thisconnexion that both the English and French versions of the said clausemake it clear that the words "effected for the purpose of bringing himbefore the competent judicial authority" apply not only to the case ofa person arrested or detained on "reasonable suspicion of havingcommitted an offence" but also to the case of a person arrested ordetained "when it is reasonably considered necessary to prevent hiscommitting an offence or fleeing after having done so"; that,furthermore, the presence of a comma in the French version after thewords "s'il a étéarrêté et détenu en vue d'être conduit devantl'autoritéjudiciairecompétente" means that this passage qualifiesall the categories of arrest and detention mentioned after the comma;that in addition, paragraph 1 (c) of Article 5 (art. 5-1-c) hasto be read in conjunction with paragraph 3 of the same Article (art. 5-3) whereby everyone arrested or detained in accordance withthe provisions of paragraph 1 (c) of the said Article (art. 5-1-c)shall be brought promptly before a judge; that it is hereby confirmedthat Article 5, paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c), allows the arrest ordetention of a person effected solely for the purpose of bringing himbefore a judge;
Whereas the Commission has expressed no opinion on whether or not thedetention of G.R. Lawless was consistent with the provisions ofArticle 6 (art. 6) of the Convention;
10.Whereas the Irish Government have contended before the Court:
- that the detention from 13th July to 11th December 1957 ofG.R. Lawless whose general conduct together with a number ofspecific circumstances drew upon him, in the opinion of the Commissionitself (paragraph 138 of its Report), "the gravest suspicion that hewas concerned with the activities of the IRA" at the time of hisarrest in July 1957 - was not a violation of Article 5 or 6 (art. 5,art. 6) of the Convention; whereas the Irish Government have contendedthat the Convention does not require that a person arrested ordetained on preventive grounds shall be brought before a judicialauthority; and that, consequently, the detention of G.R. Lawless didnot conflict with the stipulations of the Convention; whereas on thispoint the Irish Government, not relying before the Court, as they haddone before the Commission, on paragraph 1 (b) of Article 5(art. 5-1-b), have made submissions which include the following: thatArticle 5 paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c) refers to two entirely separatecategories of cases of deprivation of liberty - those where a personis arrested or detained "on reasonable suspicion of having committed anoffence" and those where a person is arrested or detained "when it isreasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing an offence,etc."; that it is clear from the wording of the said clause that theobligation to bring the arrested or detained person before thecompetent judicial authority applies only to the former category ofcase; that this is the meaning of the clause, particularly in theEnglish version;
- that the preliminary work on Article 5 (art. 5) supports thisconstruction of the said clause; that account must be taken of thefact that the said Article (art. 5) is derived from a proposalsubmitted to the Committee of Experts by the United Kingdom delegationin March 1950 and that the French version is consequently only atranslation of the original English text; that, as regardsparagraph 1 (c) on the Article (art. 5-1-c), the words "or when it isreasonably considered necessary" appeared in the first draft as "orwhich is reasonably considered to be necessary" and, in the Englishversion, clearly refer to the words "arrest or detention" and not tothe phrase "effected for the purpose of bringing him before thecompetent legal authority"; that this clause subsequently underwentonly drafting alterations;
- that Article 5, paragraph 3 (art. 5-3) does not conflict with thisconstruction of paragraph 1 (c) of the same Article (art. 5-1-c); thatparagraph 3 (art. 5-3) applies only to the first category of casesmentioned in paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c) and not to cases of thearrest or detention of a person "when it is reasonably considerednecessary to prevent his committing an offence"; that thisinterpretation is supported by the fact that in Common Law countries aperson cannot be put on trial for having intended to commit anoffence;
- that Article 5, paragraph 3 (art. 5-3), is also derived from aproposal submitted in March 1950 by the United Kingdom delegation tothe "Committee of Experts" convened to prepare the first draft of aConvention; that the British proposal was embodied in the draftproduced by the Committee of Experts; that this draft was thenexamined by a "Conference of Senior Officials" who deleted fromparagraph 3 (art. 5-3) the words "or to prevent his committing acrime"; that paragraph 3 (art. 5-3), after amendment by theSenior Officials, accordingly read as follows:
"Anyone arrested or detained on the charge of having committed acrime, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 (c)(art. 5-1-c), shall be brought promptly before a judge or otherofficer authorised by law.";
- that it follows from the foregoing that the Senior Officialsintended to exclude from Article 5, paragraph 3 (art. 5-3),the case of a person arrested to prevent his committing a crime;that this intention on the part of the Senior Officials is furtherconfirmed by the following passage in their Report to the Committee ofMinisters (Doc. CM/WP 4 (50) 19, p. 14):
"The Conference considered it useful to point out that whereauthorised arrest or detention is effected on reasonable suspicion ofpreventing the commission of a crime, it should not lead to theintroduction of a regime of a Police State.It may, however, benecessary in certain circumstances to arrest an individual in order toprevent his committing a crime, even if the facts which show hisintention to commit the crime do not of themselves constitute a penaloffence.In order to avoid any possible abuses of the right thusconferred on public authorities, Article 13, para. 2 (art. 13-2),will have to be applied strictly.";
- that it is clear from the report of the Senior Officials thatthey - being aware of the danger of abuse in applying a clause which, asin the case of Article 5, paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c), allows the arrest or detention of a person when it is reasonably considerednecessary to prevent his committing an offence - wished to obviatethat danger not by means of a judicial decision but through the strictenforcement of the rule in Article 13, paragraph 2, of thedraft, which later became Article 18 (art. 18) of Convention; and thatArticle 5 (art. 5) subsequently underwent only drafting alterationswhich, however, did not make the meaning of the text absolutely clearor render it proof against misinterpretation;
- whereas the Irish Government have contended that Article 6 (art. 6)of the Convention is irrelevant to the present case, since there wasno criminal charge against Lawless;
11.Whereas the Commission in its Report and its Principal Delegateat the oral hearing rebutted the construction placed by the IrishGovernment on Article 5 (art. 5) and based in part on the preparatorywork; whereas the Commission contends in the first place that, inaccordance with a well-established rule concerning the interpretationof international treaties, it is not permissible to resort topreparatory work when the meaning of the clauses to be construed isclear and unequivocal; and that even reference to the preparatory workcan reveal no ground for questioning the Commission's interpretationof Article 5 (art. 5); whereas, in support of its interpretation ithas put forward submissions which may be summarised as follows: thatit is true that, in the Council of Europe, Article 5 (art. 5) isderived from a proposal made to the Committee of Experts by the UnitedKingdom delegation in March 1950, but that that proposal was based ona text introduced in the United Nations by a group of States whichincluded not only the United Kingdom but also France; that the UnitedNations text was prepared in a number of languages, including Englishand French; that the British delegation, when introducing theirproposal in the Committee of Experts of the Council of Europe, put inboth the French and the English versions of the text in question; thatthe English version cannot therefore be regarded as the dominant text;that on the contrary, all the evidence goes to show that the changesmade in the English version, particularly in that of Article 5,paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c), during the preparatory work at theCouncil of Europe were intended to bring it into line with the Frenchtext, which, apart from a few drafting alterations of no importance tothe present case, was essentially the same as that finally adopted forArticle 5 (art. 5) of the Convention; that this is true even of thecomma after the words "autoritéjudiciairecompétente", which strictlybears out the construction placed by the Commission on Article 5,paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c); that the preparatory work on Article 5,paragraph 3 (art. 5-3), leaves no room for doubt about the intentionof the authors of the Convention to require that everyone arrested ordetained in one or other of the circumstances mentioned inparagraph 1 (c) of the same Article (art. 5-1-c) should be broughtpromptly before a judge; that this text, too, had its origin in theUnited Nations draft Covenant in both languages; that the words "on thecharge of having committed a crime" were in fact deleted on7th August 1950 by the Committee of Ministers themselves, but only inorder to bring the English text into line with the French, which hadalready been given the following wording by the Conference of SeniorOfficials: "Toutepersonnearrêtéeoudétenue, dans les conditionsprévues au paragraphe 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c) etc. ..."; and that thesubmissions of the Irish Government therefore receive no support fromthe preparatory work;
12.Whereas in the first place, the Court must point out that therules set forth in Article 5, paragraph 1 (b), and Article 6(art. 5-1-b, art. 6) respectively are irrelevant to the presentproceedings, the former because G.R. Lawless was not detained "fornon-compliance with the ... order of a court" and the latter becausethere was no criminal charge against him; whereas, on this point, theCourt is required to consider whether or not the detention ofG.R. Lawless from 13th July to 11th December 1957 under the 1940Amendment Act conflicted with the provisions of Article 5,paragraphs 1 (c) and 3 (art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3);
13.Whereas, in this connection, the question referred to thejudgment of the Court is whether or not the provisions of Article 5,paragraphs 1 (c) and 3 (art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3), prescribe that a personarrested or detained "when it is reasonably considered necessary toprevent his committing an offence" shall be brought before a judge, inother words whether, in Article 5, paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c), theexpression "effected for the purpose of bringing him before thecompetent judicial authority" qualifies only the words "on reasonablesuspicion of having committed an offence" or also the words "when itis reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing anoffence";
14.Whereas the wording of Article 5, paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c),is sufficiently clear to give an answer to this question; whereas it isevident that the expression "effected for purpose of bringing himbefore the competent legal authority" qualifies every category of cases ofarrest or detention referred to in that sub-paragraph (art. 5-1-c);whereas it follows that the said clause permits deprivation of libertyonly when such deprivation is effected for the purpose of bringing theperson arrested or detained before the competent judicial authority,irrespective of whether such person is a person who is reasonablysuspected of having committed an offence, or a person whom it isreasonably considered necessary to restrain from committing anoffence, or a person whom it reasonably considered necessary torestrain from absconding after having committed an offence;
Whereas, further, paragraph 1 (c) of Article 5 (art. 5-1-c) can beconstrued only if read in conjunction with paragraph 3 of the sameArticle (art. 5-3), with which it forms a whole; whereas paragraph 3(art. 5-3) stipulates categorically that "everyone arrested ordetained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 (c) of thisArticle (art. 5-1-c) shall be brought promptly before a judge ..." and"shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time"; whereas itplainly entails the obligation to bring everyone arrested or detainedin any of the circumstances contemplated by the provisions ofparagraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c) before a judge for the purpose ofexamining the question of deprivation of liberty or for the purpose ofdeciding on the merits; whereas such is the plain and natural meaningof the wording of both paragraph 1 (c) and paragraph 3 of Article 5(art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3);
Whereas the meaning thus arrived at by grammatical analysis is fullyin harmony with the purpose of the Convention which is to protect thefreedom and security of the individual against arbitrary detention orarrest; whereas it must be pointed out in this connexion that, if theconstruction placed by the Court on the aforementioned provisions werenot correct, anyone suspected of harbouring an intent to commit anoffence could be arrested and detained for an unlimited period on thestrength merely of an executive decision without its being possible toregard his arrest or detention as a breach of the Convention; whereassuch an assumption, with all its implications of arbitrary power,would lead to conclusions repugnant to the fundamental principles ofthe Convention; whereas therefore, the Court cannot deny Article 5,paragraphs 1 (c) and 3 (art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3), the plain and naturalmeaning which follows both from the precise words used and from theimpression created by their context; whereas, therefore, there is noreason to concur with the Irish Government in their analysis ofparagraph 3 (art. 5-3) seeking to show that that clause is applicableonly to the first category of cases referred to in Article 5,paragraph 1 (c) (art. 5-1-c), to the exclusion of cases of arrest ordetention of a person "when it is reasonably considered necessary toprevent his committing an offence";
Whereas, having ascertained that the text of Article 5,paragraphs 1 (c) and 3, (art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3) is sufficiently clearin itself and means, on the one hand, that every person whom "it isreasonably considered necessary to prevent ... committing an offence"may be arrested or detained only "for the purpose of bringing himbefore the competent legal authority" and, on the other hand, thatonce a person is arrested or detained he shall be brought before ajudge and "shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time", andthat, having also found that the meaning of this text is in keepingwith the purpose of the Convention, the Court cannot, having regard toa generally recognised principle regarding th interpretation ofinternational treaties, resort to the preparatory work;
15.Whereas it has been shown that the detention of G.R. Lawlessfrom 13th July to 11th December 1957 was not "effected for the purpose ofbringing him before the competent legal authority" and that during hisdetention he was not in fact brought before a judge for trial "within areasonable time"; whereas it follows that his detention under Section 4of the Irish 1940 Act was contrary to the provisions ofArticle 5, paras. 1 (c) and 3 (art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3) of theConvention; whereas it will therefore be necessary to examine whether,in the particular circumstances of the case, the detention wasjustified on other legal grounds;
As to whether the detention of G.R. Lawless from 13th July to11th December 1957 under Section 4 of the Offences against the State(Amendment) Act, 1940, conflicted with the Irish Government's obligationsunder Article 7 (art. 7) of the Convention.
16.Whereas the Commission referred before the Court to the renewedallegation of G.R. Lawless that his detention constituted a violationof Article 7 (art. 7) of the Convention; whereas the said Article(art. 7) reads as follows:
"(1) No one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on accountof any act or omission which did not constitute a criminal offenceunder national or international law at the time when it was committed.Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that wasapplicable at the time the criminal offence was committed.
(2) This Article (art. 7) shall not prejudice the trial and punishmentof any person for any act or omission which, at the time when it wascommitted, was criminal according to the general principles of lawrecognised by civilised nations."
Whereas the submissions made by G.R. Lawless before the Commissionwere substantially as follows: that the 1940 Act was brought intoforce on 8th July 1957 and that he was arrested on 11th July 1957;that is was evident from the proceedings before the DetentionCommission - which had to examine cases of detention effected underthe 1940 Act - that the Minister of State, in signing the warrant ofdetention, had taken into consideration matters alleged to have occurredbefore 8th July 1957; that, if the substance rather than the form of the1940 Act were considered, detention under that Act would constitutea penalty for having committed an offence; that the offences to whichthe 1940 Act relates were not punishable before 8th July 1957, whenthe Act came into force; that, furthermore, if he had been convicted ofthe alleged offences by an ordinary court, he would in all probabilityhave been sentenced to less severe penalties which would have beensubject to review on appeal in due course of law;
17.Whereas the Commission, in its Report, expressed the opinion thatArticle 7 (art. 7) was not applicable in the present case; that inparticular, G.R. Lawless was not detained as a result of a convictionon a criminal charge and that his detention was not a "heavierpenalty" within the meaning of Article 7 (art. 7); that, moreover,there was no question of section 4 of the 1940 Act being appliedretroactively, since a person was liable to be detained under thatclause only if a Minister of State was of the opinion that that personwas, after the power of detention conferred by section 4 had come intoforce, engaged in activities prejudicial to the preservation of publicpeace and order or the security of the State;
18.Whereas the Irish Government share the Commission's opinion onthis point;
19.Whereas the proceedings show that the Irish Government detainedG.R. Lawless under the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act,1940, for the sole purpose of restraining him from engaging inactivities prejudicial to the preservation of public peace and orderor the security of the State; whereas his detention, being apreventive measure, cannot be deemed to be due to his having been heldguilty of a criminal offence within the meaning of Article 7 (art. 7)of the Convention; whereas it follows that Article 7 (art. 7) has nobearing on the case of G.R. Lawless; whereas, therefore, the IrishGovernment in detaining G.R. Lawless under the 1940 Act, did notviolate their obligation under Article 7 (art. 7) of the Convention.
As to whether, despite Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6) of theConvention, the detention of G.R. Lawless was justified by the rightof derogation allowed to the High Contracting Parties in certainexceptional circumstances under Article 15 (art. 15) of theConvention.
20.Whereas the Court is called upon to decide whether the detentionof G.R. Lawless from 13th July to 11th December 1957 under theOffences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940, was justified,despite Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6) of the Convention, by theright of derogation allowed to the High Contracting Parties in certainexceptional circumstances under Article 15 (art. 15) of the Convention;
21.Whereas Article 15 (art. 15) reads as follows:
"(1) In time of war or other public emergency threatening the life ofthe nation any High Contracting Party may take measures derogating fromits obligations under this Convention to the extent strictly requiredby the exigencies of the situation, provided that such measures arenot inconsistent with its other obligations under international law.
(2) No derogation from Article 2 (art. 2), except in respect ofdeaths resulting from lawful acts of war, or from Articles 3, 4(paragraph 1) and 7 (art. 3, art. 4-1, art. 7) shall be made underthis provision.
(3) Any High Contracting Party availing itself of this right ofderogation shall keep the Secretary-General of the Council of Europefully informed of the measures which it has taken and the reasonstherefore.It shall also inform the Secretary-General of the Councilof Europe when such measures have ceased to operate and the provisionsof the Convention are again being fully executed.";
22.Whereas it follows from these provisions that, without beingreleased from all its undertakings assumed in the Convention, theGovernment of any High Contracting Party has the right, in case of waror public emergency threatening the life of the nation, to takemeasures derogating from its obligations under the Convention otherthan those named in Article 15, paragraph 2 (art. 15-2), provided thatsuch measures are strictly limited to what is required by theexigencies of the situation and also that they do not conflict withother obligations under international law; whereas it is for the Courtto determine whether the conditions laid down in Article 15 (art. 15)for the exercise of the exceptional right of derogation have beenfulfilled in the present case;
(a) As to the existence of a public emergency threatening the life ofthe nation.
23.Whereas the Irish Government, by a Proclamation dated5th July 1957 and published in the Official Gazette on 8th July 1957,brought into force the extraordinary powers conferred upon it byPart II of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940, "tosecure the preservation of public peace and order";
24.Whereas, by letter dated 20th July 1957 addressed to theSecretary-General of the Council of Europe, the Irish Governmentexpressly stated that "the detention of persons under the Act isconsidered necessary to prevent the commission of offences againstpublic peace and order and to prevent the maintaining of military orarmed forces other than those authorised by the Constitution";
25.Whereas, in reply to the Application introduced by G.R. Lawlessbefore the Commission, the Irish Government adduced a series of factsfrom which they inferred the existence, during the period mentioned,of "a public emergency threatening the life of the nation" within themeaning of Article 15 (art. 15);
26.Whereas, before the Commission, G.R. Lawless submitted insupport of his application that the aforesaid facts, even if proved toexist, would not have constituted a "public emergency threatening thelife of the nation" within the meaning of Article 15 (art. 15); whereas,moreover, he disputed some of the facts adduced by the Irish Government;
27.Whereas the Commission, following the investigation carried outby it in accordance with Article 28 (art. 28) of the Convention,expressed a majority opinion in its Report that in "July 1957 thereexisted in Ireland a public emergency threatening the life of the nation within the meaning of Article 15, paragraph 1 (art. 15-1),of the Convention";
28.Whereas, in the general context of Article 15 (art. 15) of theConvention, the natural and customary meaning of the words "other publicemergency threatening the life of the nation" is sufficiently clear;whereas they refer to an exceptional situation of crisis or emergencywhich affects the whole population and constitutes a threat tothe organised life of the community of which the State is composed;whereas, having thus established the natural and customary meaning ofthis conception, the Court must determine whether the facts andcircumstances which led the Irish Government to make theirProclamation of 5th July 1957 come within this conception; whereas theCourt, after an examination, find this to be the case; whereas theexistence at the time of a "public emergency threatening the life ofthe nation", was reasonably deduced by the Irish Government from acombination of several factors, namely: in the first place, theexistence in the territory of the Republic of Ireland of a secret armyengaged in unconstitutional activities and using violence to attainits purposes; secondly, the fact that this army was also operatingoutside the territory of the State, thus seriously jeopardising therelations of the Republic of Ireland with its neighbour; thirdly, thesteady and alarming increase in terrorist activities from the autumnof 1956 and throughout the first half of 1957;
29.Whereas, despite the gravity of the situation, the Government hadsucceeded, by using means available under ordinary legislation, inkeeping public institutions functioning more or less normally, butwhereas the homicidal ambush on the night 3rd to 4th July 1957 in theterritory of Northern Ireland near the border had brought to light,just before 12th July - a date, which, for historical reasons isparticularly critical for the preservation of public peace and order -the imminent danger to the nation caused by the continuance of unlawfulactivities in Northern Ireland by the IRA and various associatedgroups, operating from the territory of the Republic of Ireland;
30.Whereas, in conclusion, the Irish Government were justified indeclaring that there was a public emergency in the Republic of Irelandthreatening the life of the nation and were hence entitled, applyingthe provisions of Article 15, paragraph 1 (art. 15-1), of Convention for the purposes for which those provisions were made, to takemeasures derogating from their obligations under the Convention;
(b) As to whether the measures taken in derogation from obligationsunder the Convention were "strictly required by the exigencies of thesituation".
31.Whereas Article 15, paragraph 1 (art. 15-1), provides that a HighContracting Party may derogate from its obligations under theConvention only "to the extent strictly required by the exigencies ofthe situation"; whereas it is therefore necessary, in the presentcase, to examine whether the bringing into force of Part II of the1940 Act was a measure strictly required by the emergency existing in1957;
32.Whereas G.R. Lawless contended before the Commission that evenif the situation in 1957 was such as to justify derogation from obligations under the Convention, the bringing into operation and theenforcement of Part II of the Offences against the State (Amendment)Act 1940 were disproportionate to the strict requirements of thesituation;
33.Whereas the Irish Government, before both the Commission and theCourt, contended that the measures taken under Part II of the 1940 Actwere, in the circumstances, strictly required by the exigencies of thesituation in accordance with Article 15, paragraph 1 (art. 15-1), ofthe Convention;
34.Whereas while the majority of the Commission concurred with theIrish Government's submissions on this point, some members of theCommission drew from the facts established different legalconclusions;
35.Whereas it was submitted that in view of the means available tothe Irish Government in 1957 for controlling the activities of the IRAand its splinter groups the Irish Government could have taken measure which would have rendered superfluous so grave a measure as detentionwithout trial; whereas, in this connection, mention was made of theapplication of the ordinary criminal law, the institution of specialcriminal courts of the type provided for by the Offences against theState Act, 1939, or of military courts; whereas it would havebeen possible to consider other measures such as the sealing of theborder between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland;
36.Whereas, however, considering, in the judgment of the Court, thatin 1957 the application of the ordinary law had proved unable to checkthe growing danger which threatened the Republic of Ireland; whereas theordinary criminal courts, or even the special criminal courts or militarycourts, could not suffice to restore peace and order; whereas, inparticular, the amassing of the necessary evidence to convict personsinvolved in activities of the IRA and its splinter groups was meetingwith great difficulties caused by the military, secret and terroristcharacter of those groups and the fear they created among thepopulation; whereas the fact that these groups operated mainly inNorthern Ireland, their activities in the Republic of Ireland beingvirtually limited to the preparation of armed raids across the borderwas an additional impediment to the gathering of sufficient evidence;whereas the sealing of the border would have had extremely seriousrepercussions on the population as a whole, beyond the extent requiredby the exigencies of the emergency;
Whereas it follows from the foregoing that none of the above-mentionedmeans would have made it possible to deal with the situation existing inIreland in 1957; whereas, therefore, the administrative detention – asinstituted under the Act (Amendment) of 1940 - of individuals suspected ofintending to take part in terrorist activities, appeared, despite itsgravity, to be a measure required by the circumstances;
37.Whereas, moreover, the Offences against the State (Amendment) Actof 1940, was subject to a number of safeguards designed to preventabuses in the operation of the system of administrative detention; whereasthe application of the Act was thus subject to constant supervisionby Parliament, which not only received precise details of its enforcement atregular intervals but could also at any time, by a Resolution, annul theGovernment's Proclamation which had brought the Act into force; whereasthe Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1940, provided for theestablishment of a "Detention Commission" made up of three members, whichthe Government did in fact set up, the members being an officer of theDefence Forces and two judges; whereas any person detained under thisAct could refer his case to that Commission whose opinion, if favourable tothe release of the person concerned, was binding upon the Government;whereas, moreover, the ordinary courts could themselves compel theDetention Commission to carry out its functions;
Whereas, in conclusion, immediately after the Proclamation whichbrought the power of detention into force, the Government publiclyannounced that it would release any person detained who gave anundertaking to respect the Constitution and the Law and not to engagein any illegal activity, and that the wording of this undertaking waslater altered to one which merely required that the person detainedwould undertake to observe the law and refrain from activitiescontrary to the 1940 Act; whereas the persons arrested were informedimmediately after their arrest that they would be released followingthe undertaking in question; whereas in a democratic country such asIreland the existence of this guarantee of release given publicly bythe Government constituted a legal obligation on the Government torelease all persons who gave the undertaking;
Whereas, therefore, it follows from the foregoing that the detentionwithout trial provided for by the 1940 Act, subject to theabove-mentioned safeguards, appears to be a measure strictly requiredby the exigencies of the situation within the meaning of Article 15(art. 15) of the Convention;
38.Whereas, in the particular case of G.R. Lawless, there isnothing to show that the powers of detention conferred upon the IrishGovernment by the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1940,were employed against him, either within the meaning of Article 18(art. 18) of the Convention, for a purpose other than that for whichthey were granted, or within the meaning of Article 15 (art. 15)of the Convention, by virtue of a measure going beyond what wasstrictly required by the situation at that time; whereas on thecontrary, the Commission, after finding in its Decision of30th August 1958 on the admissibility of the Application that theApplicant had in fact submitted his Application to it after havingexhausted the domestic remedies, observed in its Report that thegeneral conduct of G.R. Lawless, "his association with persons knownto be active members of the IRA, his conviction for carryingincriminating documents and other circumstances were such as to drawupon the Applicant the gravest suspicion that, whether or not he wasany longer a member, he still was concerned with the activities of theIRA at the time of his arrest in July 1957; whereas the file alsoshows that, at the beginning of G.R. Lawless's detention underAct No. 2 of 1940, the Irish Government informed him that he would bereleased if he gave a written undertaking "to respect the Constitutionof Ireland and the Laws" and not to "be a member of or assist anyorganisation that is an unlawful organisation under the Offencesagainst the State Act, 1939"; whereas in December 1957 the Governmentrenewed its offer in a different form, which was accepted byG.R. Lawless, who gave a verbal undertaking before the DetentionCommission not to "take part in any activities that are illegal underthe Offences against the State Acts 1939 and 1940" and was accordinglyimmediately released;
(c) As to whether the measures derogating from obligations under theConvention were "inconsistent with ... other obligations underinternational law".
39.Whereas Article 15, paragraph 1 (art. 15-1), of the Conventionauthorises a High Contracting Party to take measures derogating from theConvention only provided that they "are not inconsistent with ...other obligations under international law";
40.Whereas, although neither the Commission nor the Irish Governmenthave referred to this provision in the proceedings, the function of theCourt, which is to ensure the observance of the engagements undertaken bythe Contracting Parties in the Convention (Article 19 of the Convention)(art. 19), requires it to determine proprio motu whether this conditionhas been fulfilled in the present case;
41.Whereas no facts have come to the knowledge of the Court whichgive it cause hold that the measure taken by the Irish Governmentderogating from the Convention may have conflicted with the saidGovernment's other obligations under international law;
As to whether the letter of 20th July 1957 from the Irish Governmentto the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe was a sufficientnotification for the purposes of Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3),of the Convention.
42.Whereas Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of the Conventionprovides that a Contracting Party availing itself of the right ofderogation under paragraph 1 of the same Article (art. 15-1) shallkeep the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe fully informed ofthe measures which it has taken and the reasons therefore and shallalso inform him when such measures have ceased to operate;
43.Whereas, in the present case, the Irish Government, on20th July 1957, sent the Secretary-General of the Council ofEurope a letter informing him - as is stated therein: "in compliancewith Article 15 (3) (art. 15-3) of the Convention" - that Part II ofthe Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940, had been broughtinto force on 8th July 1957; whereas copies of the Irish Government'sProclamation on the subject and of the 1940 Act itself were attachedto the said letter; whereas the Irish Government explained in the saidletter that the measure in question was "considered necessary toprevent the commission of offences against public peace and order andto prevent the maintaining of military or armed forces other thanthose authorised by the Constitution";
44.Whereas G.R. Lawless contested before the Commission the IrishGovernment's right to rely on the letter of 20th July 1957 as a validnotice of derogation un Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of theConvention; whereas, in substance, he contended before theCommission: that the letter had not the character of a notice ofderogation, as the Government had not sent it for the purpose ofregistering a formal notice of derogation; that even if the letterwere to be regarded as constituting such a notice, it did not complywith the strict requirements of Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3),in that it neither adduced, as a ground for detention without trial,the existence of a time of war or other public emergency threateningthe life of the nation nor properly defined the nature of the measuretaken by the Government; whereas the Principal Delegate of theCommission, in the proceedings before the Court, made known a thirdcontention of G.R. Lawless to the effect that the derogation, even ifit had been duly notified to the Secretary-General on 20th July 1957,could not be enforced against persons within the jurisdiction of theRepublic of Ireland in respect of the period before 23rd October 1957,when it was first made public in Ireland;
45.Whereas the Commission expressed the opinion that the IrishGovernment had not delayed in bringing the enforcement of the specialmeasures to the attention of the Secretary-General with explicit reference to Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of the Convention;whereas the terms of the letter of 20th July 1957, to which wereattached copies of the 1940 Act and of the Proclamation bringing itinto force, were sufficient to indicate to the Secretary-General thenature of the measures taken and that consequently, while noting thatthe letter of 20th July did not contain a detailed account of thereasons which had led the Irish Government to take the measures ofderogation, it could not say that in the present case there had notbeen a sufficient compliance with the provisions of Article 15,paragraph 3 (art. 15-3); whereas, with regard to G.R. Lawless' thirdcontention the Delegates of the Commission added, in the proceedingsbefore the Court, that Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of theConvention required only that the Secretary-General of the Council ofEurope be informed of the measures of derogation taken, withoutobliging the State concerned to promulgate the notice of derogationwithin the framework of its municipal laws;
46.Whereas the Irish Government, in their final submissions, askedthe Court to state, in accordance with the Commission's opinion, that theletter of 20th July 1957 constituted a sufficient notification for thepurposes of Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of the Convention or,alternatively, to declare that there is nothing in the saidparagraph 3 (art. 15-3) which, in the present case, detracts from theIrish Government's right to rely on paragraph 1 of the said Article 15(art. 15-1);
47.Whereas the Court is called upon in the first instance, toexamine whether, in pursuance of paragraph 3 of Article 15 (art. 15-3)of the Convention, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe wasduly informed both of the measures taken and of the reason therefore;whereas the Court notes that a copy of the Offences against the State(Amendment) Act, 1940, and a copy of the Proclamation of 5th July,published on 8th July 1957, bringing into force Part II of theaforesaid Act were attached to the letter of 20th July; that it wasexplained in the letter of 20th July that the measures had been takenin order "to prevent the commission of offences against public peaceand order and to prevent the maintaining of military or armed forcesother than those authorised by the Constitution"; that the Irish
Government thereby gave the Secretary-General sufficient informationof the measures taken and the reasons therefore; that, in the secondplace, the Irish Government brought this information to theSecretary-General's attention only twelve days after the entry intoforce of the measures derogating from their obligations under theConvention; and that the notification was therefore made withoutdelay; whereas, in conclusion, the Convention does not contain anyspecial provision to the effect that the Contracting State concernedmust promulgate in its territory the notice of derogation addressed tothe Secretary-General of the Council of Europe;
Whereas the Court accordingly finds that, in the present case, theIrish Government fulfilled their obligations as Party to theConvention under Article 15, paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of the Convention;
48.For these reasons,
THE COURT
Unanimously,
(i) Dismisses the plea in bar derived by the Irish Government fromArticle 17 (art. 17) of the Convention;
(ii) States that Articles 5 and 6 (art. 5, art. 6) of the Conventionprovided no legal foundation for the detention without trial ofG.R. Lawless from 13th July to 11th December 1957, by virtue ofArticle 4 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940;
(iii) States that there was no breach of Article 7 (art. 7) of theConvention;
(iv) States that the detention of G.R. Lawless from 13th July to11th December 1957 was founded on the right of derogation dulyexercised by the Irish Government in pursuance of Article 15 (art. 15)of the Convention in July 1957;
(v) States that the communication addressed by the Irish Governmentto the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe on 20th July 1957constituted sufficient notification within the meaning of Article 15,paragraph 3 (art. 15-3), of the Convention;
Decides, accordingly, that in the present case the facts found do notdisclose a breach by the Irish Government of their obligations underthe European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights andFundamental Freedoms;
Decides, therefore, that the question of entitlement by G.R. Lawlessto compensation in respect of such a breach does not arise.
Done in French and in English, the French text being authentic, at theCouncil of Europe, Strasbourg, this first day of July one thousandnine hundred and sixty-one.
R.CASSIN, President
P.MODINOS, Registrar
Mr. G. MARIDAKIS, Judge, while concurring with the operative part ofthe judgment, annexed thereto an individual opinion, in accordancewith Rule 50, paragraph 2 of the Rules of Court.
R. C.
P. M.
INDIVIDUAL OPINION OF MR. G. MARIDAKIS
The Irish Government have not violated the provisions of Article 15(art. 15) of the Convention.
When the State is engaged in a life and death struggle, no one candemand that it refrain from taking special emergency measures: salusrei publicae suprema lex est.Article 15 (art. 15) is founded on thatprinciple.
Postulating this right of defence, the Convention provides in thisArticle (art. 15) that "in time of war or other public emergencythreatening the life of the nation any High Contracting Party may takemeasures derogating from its obligations under this Convention",provided, however, that it does so only "to the extent strictlyrequired by the exigencies of the situation" and "provided that suchmeasures are not inconsistent with its other obligations underinternational law."
By "public emergency threatening the life of the nation" it is to beunderstood a quite exceptional situation which imperils or mightimperil the normal operation of public policy established in accordancewith the lawfully expressed will of the citizens, in respect alike ofthe situation inside the country and of relations with foreign Powers.
The Irish Government having determined that in July 1957 theactivities of the IRA had assumed the character of a public emergencythreatening the life of the nation, in order to meet this emergency,put into effect on 8th July 1957 the 1940 Act amending the Offencesagainst the State Act, 1939.
In compliance with Article 15 (3) (art. 15-3), the Irish Governmentnotified the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe of theirintention to bring the 1940 Act legally into force by letter of20th July 1957, in which it wrote:
"I have the honour also to invite your attention to section 8 of theAct, which provides for the establishment by the Government of Irelandof a Commission to inquire into the grounds of detention of any personwho applies to have his detention investigated.The Commissionenvisaged by the section was established on the 16th July 1957."
The 1940 Act involves derogation from obligations underArticle 5 (1) (c) and (3) (art. 5-1-c, art. 5-3) of the Convention,since, in contrast to that Article (art. 5), which imposes theobligation to bring the person concerned before a judge, the 1940 Actgives such person the right to request that the Commission establishedunder the Act inquire into the ground of his detention.
Nevertheless, the derogation does not go beyond the "extent strictlyrequired by the exigencies of the situation."The Government hadalways been engaged in a struggle with the IRA.If, then, to preventactions by the IRA calculated to aggravate the public emergencythreatening the life of the nation the Government brought in a lawauthorising the arrest of any person whom they had good reason tosuspect of connections with that secret and unlawful organisation,they were acting within the limits imposed on the State by Article 15(art. 15) of the Convention.The Act, moreover, does not leave anarrested person without safeguards.A special Commission inquiresinto the grounds for the arrest of such person, who is thus protectedagainst arbitrary arrest.
It follows that the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940,was a measure which complied with Article 15 (art. 15) of theConvention in that it was "strictly required by the exigencies of thesituation."
It remains to consider whether the conditions for arrest laid down inthe 1940 Act were fulfilled in the person of the Applicant.
There is no doubt that the Applicant had been a member of the IRA.There is likewise no doubt that the IRA was an unlawful and secretorganisation which the Irish Government had never ceased to combat.
The Applicant's arrest in July 1957 fitted into the general campaignlaunched by the Irish Government to suppress the activities of thatunlawful and secret organisation.It is true that in July 1957 IRAactivities were on the wane, but that diminution was itself adeliberate policy on the part of the organisation.To appreciate thatfact at its true value, it must not be taken in isolation but must beconsidered in conjunction with the IRA's previous activities, whichnecessarily offered a precedent for assessing the activities theorganisation might engage in later.
Furthermore, since the Applicant was a former IRA member, the IrishGovernment, suspecting that even if he had ceased to be a member hewas always liable to engage in activities fostering the aims of thatorganisation, applied the 1940 Act to his person legally.
In addition, out of respect for the individual, the Irish Governmentmerely required of the Applicant, as the condition of his release, asimple assurance that he would in future acknowledge "the Constitution ofIreland and the laws".That condition cannot be considered to havebeen contrary to the Convention.
There is nothing in the condition which offends against personaldignity or which could be considered a breach of the obligations ofStates under the Convention.It would have to be held repugnant to theConvention, for example, if the State were to assume the power torequire the Applicant to repudiate the political beliefs for which hewas fighting as a member of the IRA.Such a requirement wouldcertainly be contrary to Article 10 (art. 10), whereby everyone hasthe right to freedom of expression and freedom to hold opinions and toreceive and impart information and ideas.But the text of thatArticle itself shows that the undertaking required of the Applicant bythe Irish Government as the condition of his release, namely anundertaking to respect thenceforth the Constitution of Ireland and thelaws, was in keeping with the true spirit of the Convention.This isapparent from the enumeration of cases where, under most of theArticles, the State is authorised to restrict or even prevent theexercise of the individual rights.And these cases are in fact thoseinvolving the preservation of public safety, national security andterritorial integrity and the maintenance of order(Articles 2 (2) (c), 4 (3) (c), 5, 6, 8 (2), 9 (2) and 11 (2))(art. 2-2-c, art. 4-3-c, art. 5, art. 6, art. 8-2, art. 9-2,art. 11-2).
Hence, if each Contracting State secures to everyone within itsjurisdiction the rights and freedoms defined in Section I of theConvention (Article 1) (art. 1) and moreover undertakes to enforce thesaid rights and freedoms (Article 13) (art. 13), the individual isbound in return, whatever his private or even his avowed beliefs, toconduct himself loyally towards the State and cannot be regarded asreleased from that obligation.This is the principle that underliesthe aforementioned reservations to and limitations of the rights setforth in the Convention.The same spirit underlies Article 17(art. 17) of the Convention, and the same general legal principle wasstated in the Roman maxim: nemo ex suo delicto meliorem suamconditionem facere potest (Dig. 50.17.134 paragraph 4).(Nemoturpitudinem suam allegans auditur).
It follows from the foregoing that the Irish Government, in demandingof the Applicant that he give an assurance that he would conducthimself in conformity with the Constitution and the laws of Ireland, weremerely reminding him of his duty of loyalty to constituted authorityand in no way infringed the rights and freedoms set forth in theConvention, including the freedom of conscience guaranteed byArticle 9 (art. 9).
It is true that the Applicant was arrested on 11th July 1957 under the1940 Act and that on 16th July 1957 he was informed that he would bereleased provided he gave an undertaking in writing "to respect theConstitution of Ireland and the laws" and not to "be a member of, orassist, any organisation which is an unlawful organisation under theOffences against the State Act, 1939."
Between 16th July and 10th December 1957 the Applicant refused to makethe said declaration, presumably because he was awaiting the outcomeof the petition he submitted on 8th September 1957, whereby he applied"to have the continuation of his detention considered by a specialCommission set up under section 8 of the 1940 Act," and also of theApplication he made on 8th September 1957 to the Irish High Court,under Article 40 of the Irish Constitution, for a Conditional Order ofhabeas corpus ad subjiciendum.The High Court and, on appeal, theSupreme Court decided against the Applicant.The Supreme Court gaveits reasoned judgment on 3rd December 1957, and the DetentionCommission resumed its hearings on 6th and 10th December 1957.TheApplicant then gave the Detention Commission a verbal undertaking notto engage in any illegal activities under the Offences against theState Acts, 1939 and 1940.
During the period between his arrest (11th July 1957) and10th December 1957, the Applicant appealed to the High Court and theSupreme Court and refused, while the matter was sub judice, to give theassurance which the Irish Government made the condition of hisrelease.Having so acted, the Applicant has no ground for complaint ofhaving been deprived of his liberty during that period.
It is apparent from what has been stated above that the 1940 Actamending that of 1939 cannot be criticised as conflicting withArticle 15 (art. 15) of the Convention and that the measuresprescribed by the Act are derogations in conformity with thereservations formulated in Article 5 (1) (c) and (3) (art. 5-1-c,art. 5-3).It follows that there is no cause to examine the merits ofthe allegation that the Irish Government violated their obligationsunder the latter provisions.
On the other hand, the Applicant's Application cannot be declaredinadmissible by relying on Article 17 (art. 17) of the Convention,since that Article (art. 17) is designed to preclude any constructionof the clauses of the Convention which would pervert the rights andfreedoms guaranteed therein and make them serve tendencies oractivities repugnant to the spirit of the Convention as defined in itsPreamble.The Applicant, however improper his conduct may have been,cannot be held to have engaged in any activity forbidden by Article 17(art. 17) such as would warrant the rejection of his Application asinadmissible under the terms of that text.