PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 44581/08) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Mr Ziemowit Hermanowicz (“the applicant”), on 11 September 2008.

The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 12 January 2009 the President of the Fourth Section decided to give notice of the application to the Government. It was also decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time (Article 29 § 3).

On 16 June 2009 the Government submitted a unilateral declaration and invited the Court to strike out the application, in accordance with Article 37 of the Convention. The applicant filed an objection.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1965 and lives in Krupski Młyn.

A. Main proceedings

On an unspecified date in July 2001 criminal proceedings were instituted against the applicant.

On 29 July 2002 the applicant was indicted before the Tarnowskie Góry District Court. He was charged with several offences of fraud. The bill of indictment comprised 12 accused.

On 9 September 2002 the case was remitted to the Tarnowskie Góry District Prosecutor.

On 21 October 2002, the court ordered that the applicant undergo a psychiatric examination and that an expert's opinion on his health be prepared. The hearing was adjourned until 31 January 2003.

Between 7 March 2003 and 13 October 2004 the court held nine hearings, four of which were cancelled. The applicant failed to appear at one of these hearings.

During hearings listed for 29 October, 10 and 22 November 2004 witnesses were heard.

On 6 December 2004, upon the request of the applicant's co‑accused's lawyer, the hearing was cancelled.

At hearings, set down for 15 December 2004, 5 January, 2 and 23 February, 14 March, 1 and 22 April 2005, witnesses were heard.

Between 13 May 2005 and 20 December 2006 the court held 17 hearings, six of which were adjourned since witnesses had failed to appear before the court.

The next hearing, scheduled for 22 January 2007, was adjourned as the applicant's co-accused's counsel had not been properly summoned.

The subsequent hearing, scheduled for 9 March 2007, was cancelled due to the judge's illness.

On 2 April 2007, due to the judge's prolonged illness, the case was assigned to another judge.

In consequence the case had to be reheard from the beginning and the first hearing was set down for 28 November 2007.

On 5 October 2007 the case was assigned to a third judge because of the new division of work in the court.

The trial was listed for 12 May 2008.

The proceedings are still pending before the Tarnowskie Góry District Court.

B. Proceedings under the 2004 Act

On 7 February 2008 the applicant filed with the Gliwice Regional Court a complaint about a breach of the right to a trial within a reasonable time in respect of the criminal proceedings instituted against him and asked for just satisfaction. He relied on the Law of 17 June 2004 on complaints about a breach of the right to a trial within a reasonable time (Ustawa o skardze na naruszenie prawa strony do rozpoznania sprawy w postępowaniu sądowym bez nieuzasadnionej zwłoki) (“the 2004 Act”), which entered into force on 17 September 2004.

On 12 March 2008 the Gliwice Regional Court dismissed his complaint. It limited its examination of the length of the proceedings to the period after the entry into force of the 2004 Act and stressed that the Act could not be applied to the protracted length of court proceedings occurring before that date. Having analysed the conduct of the District Court during the period after the entry into force of the 2004 Act, the Regional Court acknowledged the excessive length of the proceedings, finding that there had been a period of unjustified inactivity from 1 March 2007 until 12 March 2008. However, the court did not grant any just satisfaction to the applicant. It held that the applicant had failed to prove that he had suffered any damage or that he had incurred any pecuniary losses on account of the length of the proceedings.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e1
001-95816_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
44581/08
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-95816_a4_e2
001-95816_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-95816_a4_e3
001-95816_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e4
001-95816_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Ziemowit Hermanowicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e5
001-95816_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
11 September 2008
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a4_e6
001-95816_a4_em6
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e7
001-95816_a4_em7
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a4_e8
001-95816_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e9
001-95816_a4_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
12 January 2009
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e10
001-95816_a4_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
16 June 2009
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e11
001-95816_a4_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1965
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-95816_a4_e12
001-95816_a4_em12
LOC
QUASI
Krupski Młyn
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e13
001-95816_a4_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
July 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e14
001-95816_a4_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
29 July 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-95816_a4_e15
001-95816_a4_em15
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e16
001-95816_a4_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
9 September 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-95816_a4_e17
001-95816_a4_em17
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Prosecutor
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001-95816_a4_e18
001-95816_a4_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
21 October 2002
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001-95816_a4_e19
001-95816_a4_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
31 January 2003
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001-95816_a4_e20
001-95816_a4_em20
DATETIME
NO_MASK
Between 7 March 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e21
001-95816_a4_em21
DATETIME
NO_MASK
13 October 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a4_e22
001-95816_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
29 October, 10 and 22 November 2004
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001-95816_a4_e23
001-95816_a4_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
6 December 2004
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001-95816_a4_e24
001-95816_a4_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
15 December 2004
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001-95816_a4_e25
001-95816_a4_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
5 January, 2 and 23 February, 14 March, 1 and 22 April 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a4_e26
001-95816_a4_em26
DATETIME
NO_MASK
13 May 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e27
001-95816_a4_em27
DATETIME
NO_MASK
20 December 2006
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a4_e28
001-95816_a4_em28
QUANTITY
NO_MASK
17
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e29
001-95816_a4_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
22 January 2007
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001-95816_a4_e30
001-95816_a4_em30
DATETIME
NO_MASK
9 March 2007
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001-95816_a4_e31
001-95816_a4_em31
DATETIME
NO_MASK
2 April 2007
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e32
001-95816_a4_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
28 November 2007
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001-95816_a4_e33
001-95816_a4_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
5 October 2007
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001-95816_a4_e34
001-95816_a4_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
12 May 2008
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001-95816_a4_e15
001-95816_a4_em35
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
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001-95816_a4_e35
001-95816_a4_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
7 February 2008
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001-95816_a4_e36
001-95816_a4_em37
ORG
QUASI
Gliwice Regional Court
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001-95816_a4_e37
001-95816_a4_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
17 September 2004
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001-95816_a4_e38
001-95816_a4_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
12 March 2008
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001-95816_a4_e36
001-95816_a4_em40
ORG
QUASI
Gliwice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e39
001-95816_a4_em41
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a4_e40
001-95816_a4_em42
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a4_e41
001-95816_a4_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
1 March 2007
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001-95816_a4_e38
001-95816_a4_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
12 March 2008
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001-95816_a6_e1
001-95816_a6_em1
CODE
DIRECT
44581/08
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a6_e2
001-95816_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e2
001-95816_a6_em3
DEM
QUASI
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e3
001-95816_a6_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Ziemowit Hermanowicz
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001-95816_a6_e4
001-95816_a6_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
11 September 2008
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e2
001-95816_a6_em6
ORG
NO_MASK
001-95816_a6_em2
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e5
001-95816_a6_em7
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
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001-95816_a6_e6
001-95816_a6_em8
DATETIME
QUASI
12 January 2009
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001-95816_a6_e7
001-95816_a6_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
16 June 2009
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a6_e8
001-95816_a6_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
1965
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correct
001-95816_a6_e9
001-95816_a6_em11
LOC
QUASI
Krupski Młyn
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001-95816_a6_e10
001-95816_a6_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
July 2001
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001-95816_a6_e11
001-95816_a6_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
29 July 2002
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correct
001-95816_a6_e12
001-95816_a6_em14
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e13
001-95816_a6_em15
QUANTITY
QUASI
12
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a6_e14
001-95816_a6_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
9 September 2002
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correct
001-95816_a6_e15
001-95816_a6_em17
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Prosecutor
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001-95816_a6_e16
001-95816_a6_em18
DATETIME
QUASI
21 October 2002
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001-95816_a6_e17
001-95816_a6_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
31 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e18
001-95816_a6_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
Between 7 March 2003 and 13 October 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e19
001-95816_a6_em21
QUANTITY
QUASI
nine
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e20
001-95816_a6_em22
QUANTITY
QUASI
four
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e21
001-95816_a6_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
29 October, 10 and 22 November 2004
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001-95816_a6_e22
001-95816_a6_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
6 December 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e23
001-95816_a6_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
15 December 2004, 5 January, 2 and 23 February, 14 March, 1 and 22 April 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e24
001-95816_a6_em26
DATETIME
QUASI
Between 13 May 2005 and 20 December 2006
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e25
001-95816_a6_em27
QUANTITY
QUASI
17
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-95816_a6_e26
001-95816_a6_em28
QUANTITY
QUASI
six
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-95816_a6_e27
001-95816_a6_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
22 January 2007
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001-95816_a6_e28
001-95816_a6_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
9 March 2007
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001-95816_a6_e29
001-95816_a6_em31
DATETIME
QUASI
2 April 2007
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001-95816_a6_e30
001-95816_a6_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
28 November 2007
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001-95816_a6_e31
001-95816_a6_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
5 October 2007
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001-95816_a6_e32
001-95816_a6_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
12 May 2008
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check
001-95816_a6_e12
001-95816_a6_em35
ORG
QUASI
Tarnowskie Góry District Court
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001-95816_a6_e33
001-95816_a6_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
7 February 2008
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001-95816_a6_e34
001-95816_a6_em37
ORG
QUASI
Gliwice Regional Court
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001-95816_a6_e35
001-95816_a6_em38
DATETIME
NO_MASK
17 September 2004
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001-95816_a6_e36
001-95816_a6_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
12 March 2008
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e34
001-95816_a6_em40
ORG
QUASI
Gliwice Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e12
001-95816_a6_em41
ORG
NO_MASK
001-95816_a6_em35
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e34
001-95816_a6_em42
ORG
NO_MASK
001-95816_a6_em37
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e37
001-95816_a6_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
1 March 2007
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-95816_a6_e36
001-95816_a6_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
12 March 2008
Ziemowit Hermanowicz
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Ziemowit Hermanowicz