PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 60553/00) against the Republic of Austria lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by an Austrian national, Mr Helmut Malek (“the applicant”), on 30 June 2000.

The Austrian Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Ambassador H. Winkler, Head of the International Law Department at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 21 March 2002 the First Section decided to communicate the complaint concerning the length of the proceedings to the Government. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

THE FACTS

A. The circumstances of the case

The applicant was born in 1963 and lives in Krems (Austria). He is a practising lawyer by profession.

On 18 June 1993 a colleague, Mr P., laid a disciplinary information against the applicant alleging that he had infringed the profession’s honour and reputation in the context of administrative criminal proceedings relating to traffic offences. He was suspected of having misbehaved towards intervening police officers during a traffic control by threatening them with job-related troubles in case they charged him with traffic offences. Subsequently, on 10 September 1993 the Disciplinary Council of the Lower Austrian Bar Chamber (Disziplinarrat der Niederösterreichischen Rechtsanwaltskammer), upon request of the Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor (Kammeranwalt), appointed an Investigating Commissioner (Untersuchungskommissär).

On 16 September 1993 the Investigating Commissioner informed the applicant that disciplinary proceedings against him were opened and requested him to file observations as regards the charges against him.

On 4 October 1993 the applicant complied with this request.

On 13 June 1994 the Investigating Commissioner submitted a report to the Disciplinary Council.

On 7 October 1994 the Disciplinary Council discontinued the proceedings against the applicant. The Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor filed an appeal against this decision.

On 15 December 1994 the applicant submitted his observations on the appeal.

On 20 February 1995 the Appeals Board (Oberste Berufungs- und Disziplinarkommission) allowed the Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor’s appeal and remitted the case to the Disciplinary Council.

In August 1995, after the case had been taken over by another Investigating Commissioner, the latter agreed with the Vienna Federal Police Directorate (Bundespolizeidirektion) to question the police officers involved in the traffic control at issue by way of letters rogatory. On 3 November 1995 he filed letters rogatory with the Donaustadt District Court (Bezirksgericht) which were subsequently transferred to the Josefstadt District Court.

On 13 December 1995 the two police officers were questioned by the Josefstadt District Court.

On 8 February 1996 the Investigating Commissioner submitted his report to the Disciplinary Council.

On 3 June 1996 the Disciplinary Council, upon the Investigating Commissioner’s report, decided to open the main proceedings. This decision was served on the applicant on 31 July 1996.

On 30 August 1996 the applicant filed his observations.

On 20 September 1996 the Disciplinary Council fixed a hearing for 14 October 1996 and summoned the applicant, his spouse and the two police officers. As the applicant’s spouse and one police officers submitted that they could not appear at that date, the hearing was cancelled.

On 24 February 1997 the Constitutional Court, in proceedings unrelated to the present one’s, issued a decision concerning the composition of the Disciplinary Council. On 15 May 1997, after an internal discussion of the consequences of the Constitutional Court’s decision for the proceedings at issue, Mr F was appointed as new chairman of the Disciplinary Council.

On 17 September 1997 the Disciplinary Council fixed a hearing for 6 October 1997. The applicant’s spouse and the two police officers submitted that they could not appear at that date.

On 19 September 1997 the applicant filed observations and challenged the chairman and another member of the Disciplinary Council for bias.

On 23 September 1997 a new chairman was appointed.

On 6 October 1997 the Disciplinary Council held a hearing. The applicant requested to summon his spouse for the next hearing. The Disciplinary Council adjourned the case and decided to obtain the file concerning the administrative criminal proceedings against the applicant.

On 9 February 1998 the Disciplinary Council requested the Vienna Federal Police Directorate to submit the file concerning the administrative criminal proceedings against the applicant.

On 5 August 1998, since the file at issue had meanwhile been transmitted to an other administrative authority, the Disciplinary Council filed a new request to submit the file.

On 6 August 1998 the Disciplinary Council fixed a hearing for 14 September 1998. The applicant again challenged a member of the Disciplinary Council for bias.

On 14 September 1998 the Disciplinary Council held a hearing. The only witness heard was one of the two police officers, the other witnesses and the applicant submitted that they were not able to appear.

On 14 October 1998 the Disciplinary Council fixed another hearing for 9 November 1998. The applicant again challenged two members of the Disciplinary Council for bias and submitted that he was prevented from appearing.

On 9 November 1998 the Disciplinary Council held a hearing and convicted the applicant under section 10 § 2 of the Lawyers Act. It found that he had misbehaved towards intervening police officers during a traffic control by threatening them with job-related troubles in case they charged him with traffic offences. The applicant had thereby infringed the profession’s honour and reputation. The Disciplinary Council ordered him to pay an additional fine of ATS 10,000 as he had already been ordered to pay ATS 25,000 in four other sets of disciplinary proceedings.

On 15 December 1998 the applicant filed an appeal against this decision and on 11 January 1999 the Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor submitted his observations in reply.

On 14 June 1999 the Appeals Board dismissed the applicant’s appeal.

On 30 September 1999 the applicant lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof). He complained, inter alia, about the length of the proceedings and claimed that the disciplinary authorities had failed to take the excessive length of the proceedings into account as a mitigating circumstance.

On 29 February 2000 the Constitutional Court dismissed the applicant’s complaint. This decision was served on the applicant on 6 April 2000.

B. Relevant domestic law

Section 10 § 2 of the Lawyers Act (Rechtsanwaltsordung) provides that a practising lawyer is obliged to preserve the honour and reputation of the profession by his honest and sincere conduct.

Section 16 § 1 of the Disciplinary Act (Disziplinarstatut), in the version applicable at the material time, provided for the following disciplinary penalties: a written reprimand, a fine of up to ATS 500,000, a prohibition on practising as a lawyer for a period not exceeding one year and being struck off the bar roll.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e1
001-61133_a8_em1
CODE
DIRECT
60553/00
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-61133_a8_e2
001-61133_a8_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Austria
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e3
001-61133_a8_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Austrian
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e4
001-61133_a8_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Helmut Malek
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e5
001-61133_a8_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
30 June 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e6
001-61133_a8_em6
ORG
NO_MASK
Austrian Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e7
001-61133_a8_em7
PERSON
QUASI
H. Winkler
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e8
001-61133_a8_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
International Law Department
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e9
001-61133_a8_em9
ORG
NO_MASK
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e10
001-61133_a8_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
21 March 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e11
001-61133_a8_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1963
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e12
001-61133_a8_em12
LOC
QUASI
Krems
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-61133_a8_e13
001-61133_a8_em13
LOC
NO_MASK
Austria
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e14
001-61133_a8_em14
DEM
NO_MASK
lawyer
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e15
001-61133_a8_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
18 June 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e16
001-61133_a8_em16
PERSON
QUASI
Mr P.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e17
001-61133_a8_em17
DATETIME
QUASI
10 September 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e18
001-61133_a8_em18
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council of the Lower Austrian Bar Chamber (Disziplinarrat der Niederösterreichischen Rechtsanwaltskammer)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e19
001-61133_a8_em19
ORG
NO_MASK
Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor (Kammeranwalt)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e20
001-61133_a8_em20
ORG
NO_MASK
Investigating Commissioner (Untersuchungskommissär)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e21
001-61133_a8_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
16 September 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e22
001-61133_a8_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
4 October 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e23
001-61133_a8_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
13 June 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em24
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e25
001-61133_a8_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
7 October 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em26
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e26
001-61133_a8_em27
ORG
NO_MASK
Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e27
001-61133_a8_em28
DATETIME
QUASI
15 December 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e28
001-61133_a8_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
20 February 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e29
001-61133_a8_em30
ORG
NO_MASK
Appeals Board (Oberste Berufungs- und Disziplinarkommission)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e30
001-61133_a8_em31
ORG
NO_MASK
Bar Chamber’s
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em32
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e31
001-61133_a8_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
August 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e32
001-61133_a8_em34
ORG
QUASI
Vienna Federal Police Directorate (Bundespolizeidirektion)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e33
001-61133_a8_em35
DATETIME
QUASI
3 November 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e34
001-61133_a8_em36
ORG
QUASI
Donaustadt District Court (Bezirksgericht)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e35
001-61133_a8_em37
ORG
QUASI
Josefstadt District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e36
001-61133_a8_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
13 December 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e35
001-61133_a8_em39
ORG
QUASI
Josefstadt District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e37
001-61133_a8_em40
DATETIME
QUASI
8 February 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em41
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e38
001-61133_a8_em42
DATETIME
QUASI
3 June 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em43
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e39
001-61133_a8_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
31 July 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e40
001-61133_a8_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
30 August 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e41
001-61133_a8_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
20 September 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em47
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e42
001-61133_a8_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
14 October 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e43
001-61133_a8_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
24 February 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e44
001-61133_a8_em50
ORG
NO_MASK
Constitutional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em51
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e45
001-61133_a8_em52
DATETIME
QUASI
15 May 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e46
001-61133_a8_em53
ORG
NO_MASK
Constitutional Court’s
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e47
001-61133_a8_em54
PERSON
QUASI
Mr F
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em55
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e48
001-61133_a8_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
17 September 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em57
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e49
001-61133_a8_em58
DATETIME
QUASI
6 October 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e50
001-61133_a8_em59
DATETIME
QUASI
19 September 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em60
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e51
001-61133_a8_em61
DATETIME
QUASI
23 September 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e49
001-61133_a8_em62
DATETIME
QUASI
6 October 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em63
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em64
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e52
001-61133_a8_em65
DATETIME
QUASI
9 February 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em66
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e53
001-61133_a8_em67
ORG
QUASI
Vienna Federal Police Directorate
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e54
001-61133_a8_em68
DATETIME
QUASI
5 August 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em69
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e55
001-61133_a8_em70
DATETIME
QUASI
6 August 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em71
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e56
001-61133_a8_em72
DATETIME
QUASI
14 September 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em73
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e56
001-61133_a8_em74
DATETIME
QUASI
14 September 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em75
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e57
001-61133_a8_em76
DATETIME
QUASI
14 October 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em77
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e58
001-61133_a8_em78
DATETIME
QUASI
9 November 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em79
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e58
001-61133_a8_em80
DATETIME
QUASI
9 November 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em81
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e24
001-61133_a8_em82
ORG
NO_MASK
Disciplinary Council
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e59
001-61133_a8_em83
QUANTITY
QUASI
ATS 10,000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e60
001-61133_a8_em84
QUANTITY
QUASI
ATS 25,000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e61
001-61133_a8_em85
DATETIME
QUASI
15 December 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e62
001-61133_a8_em86
DATETIME
QUASI
11 January 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e26
001-61133_a8_em87
ORG
NO_MASK
Bar Chamber’s Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e63
001-61133_a8_em88
DATETIME
QUASI
14 June 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e64
001-61133_a8_em89
ORG
NO_MASK
Appeals Board
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e65
001-61133_a8_em90
DATETIME
QUASI
30 September 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e66
001-61133_a8_em91
ORG
NO_MASK
Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e67
001-61133_a8_em92
DATETIME
QUASI
29 February 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e44
001-61133_a8_em93
ORG
NO_MASK
Constitutional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e68
001-61133_a8_em94
DATETIME
QUASI
6 April 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e14
001-61133_a8_em95
DEM
NO_MASK
lawyer
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-61133_a8_e69
001-61133_a8_em96
QUANTITY
QUASI
ATS 500,000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e14
001-61133_a8_em97
DEM
NO_MASK
lawyer
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-61133_a8_e70
001-61133_a8_em98
DATETIME
NO_MASK
one year
Helmut Malek
AUT
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Helmut Malek