On October 3 at the RA Constitutional Court the representatives of the Armenian media met the President of the European Court of Human Rights Luzius Wildhaber, who was in Yerevan on a visit. Mr. President answered the question of journalists as to when will the suit of “A1+” TV company be heard if the European Court accepts the case, saying that, proceeding from the practice of similar cases, this can happen within two years. A note “urgent” on the application of the plaintiff can serve to speed up the start of the hearings in some cases, Luzius Wildhaber mentioned. Mr. Wildhaber said that the European Court can accept the appeal for consideration but the hearings on the case can only start if there is a judge representing the EU member-country among the Court members. So far there is no judge from Armenia in the European Court.
According to the provision of the Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the decisions of the national justice bodies can be challenged at the European Court within six months. As it has been reported, on June 14, 2002, the RA Court of Cassation refused securing the suit of “A1+” founder “Meltex” LLC versus the National Commission on Television and Radio, by which the decision of the Economic Court of April 25, 2002 was challenged (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, June 8-14, 2002, and April 27 – May 3, 2002). The “A1+” founder demanded to annul the decisions of the National Commission on holding broadcast licensing competitions as a result of which “A1+” did not receive a broadcast license.
Thus, having gone through all national judicial bodies, the management of “A1+” intends to file suit with the European Court of Human Rights soon.
