PROCEDURE

The case originated in three applications (nos. 32911/96, 35237/97 and 34595/97) against the French Republic lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by three French nationals, Mr Nouredine Meftah, Mr Alain Adoud and Mr Michel Bosoni (“the applicants”), on 10 July 1996, 28 January 1997 and 19 November 1996 respectively.

The applicants complained in particular that the procedure in the Court of Cassation was unfair and contravened Article 6 §§ 1 and 3 (c) of the Convention, in that the advocate-general's submissions had not been communicated to them, with the result that they had been unable to reply, and they had not been informed of the date of the hearing or permitted to address the Court of Cassation at the hearing.

The applications were transmitted to the Court on 1 November 1998, when Protocol No. 11 to the Convention came into force (Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11).

The applications were allocated to the Third Section of the Court (Rule 52 § 1 of the Rules of Court). On 23 November 1999 Mr Meftah's application was declared partly admissible by a Chamber of that Section, composed of the following judges: Mr W. Fuhrmann, President, Mr J.‑P. Costa, Mrs F. Tulkens, Mr K. Jungwiert, Sir Nicolas Bratza, Mr K. Traja and Mr M. Ugrekhelidze, and also of Mrs S. Dollé, Section Registrar. On 12 September 2000, following two partial admissibility decisions on 7 September 1999, the applications of Mr Adoud and Mr Bosoni were joined and declared admissible by a Chamber of that Section composed of the following judges: Mr L. Loucaides, President, Mr Costa, Mr P. Kūris, Mrs Tulkens, Mr Jungwiert, Mrs H.S. Greve and Mr Ugrekhelidze, and also of Mrs Dollé, Section Registrar.

The Court delivered its judgments on 27 February 2001 in Mr Adoud's and Mr Bosoni's case and on 26 April 2001 in the case of Mr Meftah. The Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention. A joint separate opinion of Mr Costa and Mr Jungwiert was annexed to the judgment of 27 February 2001.

The French Government (“the Government”) filed requests – on 15 May 2001 in the case of Mr Adoud and Mr Bosoni and on 19 June 2001 in the case of Mr Meftah – for the cases to be referred to the Grand Chamber under Article 43 of the Convention and Rule 73. Requests for a referral to the Grand Chamber were also lodged by Mr Meftah on 9 May 2001 and Mr Adoud and Mr Bosoni on 31 May 2001. A panel of the Grand Chamber granted the requests on 5 September 2001.

The composition of the Grand Chamber was determined according to the provisions of Article 27 §§ 2 and 3 of the Convention and Rule 24.

On 18 January 2002 the Grand Chamber ordered the joinder of the applications.

The applicants and the Government each filed a memorial on the merits.

A hearing took place in public in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg, on 27 February 2002 (Rule 59 § 2). There appeared before the Court: (a) for the Government Mr R. Abraham, Director of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agent, Mr B. Cotte, President of the Criminal Division, Court of Cassation, Mrs M. Dubrocard, Deputy Director, Human Rights Division, Legal Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs O. Wingert, magistrat, Human Rights Office, European and International Affairs Department, Ministry of Justice, Counsel; (b) for Mr Adoud and Mr Bosoni Mr Y. Rio, of the Paris Bar, Counsel. The Court heard addresses by Mr Rio, Mr Abraham and Mr Cotte, and also their replies to questions put by some of the judges.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicants were born in 1960, 1950 and 1938 and live at Irigny, at Colombes and in Paris respectively.

A. The case of Mr Meftah

The applicant was arrested on 15 April 1992 and charged by an investigating judge at Mâcon tribunal de grande instance with using a vehicle registration document that had been obtained illegally and handling a stolen vehicle. He was remanded in custody from 16 April to 18 May 1992. On 31 March 1994 he was committed to stand trial before the Mâcon Criminal Court.

In a judgment of 21 October 1994 the Mâcon Criminal Court dismissed the applicant's application to have the proceedings set aside as defective and, finding him guilty, imposed a suspended sentence of eight months' imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 French francs (FRF). The applicant appealed.

On 2 February 1995 the Dijon Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the Criminal Court in its entirety. The applicant appealed to the Court of Cassation.

By a judgment of 17 January 1996 the Court of Cassation dismissed the appeal.

B. The case of Mr Adoud

On 5 November 1994 the applicant was caught by a speed trap while at the wheel of his vehicle. The gendarmerie reported him for exceeding the speed limit by at least 40 k.p.h., namely by driving at 143 k.p.h. in a 90 k.p.h. speed-limit zone.

On 14 March 1995 the Melle Police Court found him guilty of the offence, and imposed a fine of FRF 1,500 and banned him from driving for twenty-one days.

On 15 December 1995 the Poitiers Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, and increased the fine to FRF 3,000 and the ban to three months.

By a judgment of 6 August 1996 the Criminal Division of the Court of Cassation dismissed the applicant's appeal.

C. The case of Mr Bosoni

On 11 November 1994 the police reported the applicant for two offences of failing to stop at a red traffic light. He was summoned to appear at the Paris Police Court for a hearing on 8 March 1995.

On 12 April 1995 the Paris Police Court found the applicant guilty of the offences. It imposed two fines of FRF 1,800 each and banned him from driving for one month.

On 27 October 1995 the Paris Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the Police Court in its entirety. On 2 November 1995 the applicant appealed to the Court of Cassation. He sought communication of the advocate-general's written submissions in order to be able to reply to them, but to no avail.

By a judgment of 10 July 1996 the Court of Cassation dismissed the applicant's appeal.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60638_a11_e1
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CODE
DIRECT
32911/96
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001-60638_a11_e2
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CODE
QUASI
35237/97
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001-60638_a11_e3
001-60638_a11_em3
CODE
QUASI
34595/97
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001-60638_a11_em4
ORG
NO_MASK
French Republic
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DEM
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French
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PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Nouredine Meftah
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr Alain Adoud
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr Michel Bosoni
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001-60638_a11_e9
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DATETIME
QUASI
10 July 1996
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DATETIME
QUASI
28 January 1997
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001-60638_a11_e11
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19 November 1996
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Court of Cassation
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Court of Cassation
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23 November 1999
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001-60638_a11_em6
Mr Meftah
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Chamber of that Section
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Mr W. Fuhrmann
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Mr J.‑P. Costa
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Mrs F. Tulkens
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Mr K. Jungwiert
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Sir Nicolas Bratza
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Mr K. Traja
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Mr M. Ugrekhelidze
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Mrs S. Dollé
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12 September 2000
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7 September 1999
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001-60638_a11_em7
Mr Adoud
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001-60638_a11_em8
Mr Bosoni
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Mr L. Loucaides
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001-60638_a11_em18
Mr Costa
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Mr P. Kūris
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001-60638_a11_em19
Mrs Tulkens
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Mr Jungwiert
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Mrs H.S. Greve
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Mr Ugrekhelidze
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001-60638_a11_em24
Mrs Dollé
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DATETIME
QUASI
27 February 2001
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PERSON
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Mr Adoud
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr Bosoni
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DATETIME
QUASI
26 April 2001
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PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Meftah
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001-60638_a11_e16
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PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr Costa
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PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr Jungwiert
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001-60638_a11_e28
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DATETIME
QUASI
27 February 2001
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001-60638_a11_e4
001-60638_a11_em45
ORG
NO_MASK
001-60638_a11_em4
French Government
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001-60638_a11_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
15 May 2001
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001-60638_a11_e7
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PERSON
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Mr Adoud
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr Bosoni
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001-60638_a11_e31
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DATETIME
QUASI
19 June 2001
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PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Meftah
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PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Meftah
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001-60638_a11_e32
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DATETIME
QUASI
9 May 2001
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PERSON
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Mr Adoud
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PERSON
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Mr Bosoni
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31 May 2001
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5 September 2001
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18 January 2002
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LOC
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Human Rights Building, Strasbourg
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DATETIME
QUASI
27 February 2002
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PERSON
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Mr R. Abraham
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PERSON
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Mr B. Cotte
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001-60638_a11_e40
001-60638_a11_em62
ORG
NO_MASK
Criminal Division
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001-60638_a11_e12
001-60638_a11_em63
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
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001-60638_a11_e41
001-60638_a11_em64
PERSON
QUASI
Mrs M. Dubrocard
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001-60638_a11_e42
001-60638_a11_em65
ORG
NO_MASK
Human Rights Division
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001-60638_a11_e43
001-60638_a11_em66
ORG
NO_MASK
Legal Affairs Department
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001-60638_a11_e44
001-60638_a11_em67
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mrs O. Wingert
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001-60638_a11_e45
001-60638_a11_em68
ORG
NO_MASK
Human Rights Office
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001-60638_a11_e46
001-60638_a11_em69
ORG
NO_MASK
European and International Affairs Department
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001-60638_a11_e7
001-60638_a11_em70
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Adoud
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001-60638_a11_em71
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Bosoni
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insert
001-60638_a11_e47
001-60638_a11_em72
PERSON
QUASI
001-60638_a11_em74
Mr Y. Rio
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001-60638_a11_e48
001-60638_a11_em73
ORG
NO_MASK
Paris Bar
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001-60638_a11_e47
001-60638_a11_em74
PERSON
QUASI
Mr Rio
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001-60638_a11_e38
001-60638_a11_em75
PERSON
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001-60638_a11_em60
Mr Abraham
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PERSON
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001-60638_a11_em61
Mr Cotte
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001-60638_a11_e49
001-60638_a11_em77
DATETIME
QUASI
1960
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001-60638_a11_e50
001-60638_a11_em78
DATETIME
NO_MASK
1950
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001-60638_a11_e51
001-60638_a11_em79
DATETIME
NO_MASK
1938
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001-60638_a11_e52
001-60638_a11_em80
LOC
QUASI
Irigny
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001-60638_a11_e53
001-60638_a11_em81
LOC
QUASI
Colombes
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001-60638_a11_e54
001-60638_a11_em82
LOC
NO_MASK
Paris
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001-60638_a11_e6
001-60638_a11_em83
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Meftah
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001-60638_a11_e55
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DATETIME
QUASI
15 April 1992
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001-60638_a11_e56
001-60638_a11_em85
ORG
QUASI
Mâcon tribunal de grande
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001-60638_a11_e57
001-60638_a11_em86
DATETIME
QUASI
16 April to 18 May 1992
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001-60638_a11_em87
DATETIME
QUASI
31 March 1994
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ORG
QUASI
Mâcon Criminal Court
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001-60638_a11_em89
DATETIME
QUASI
21 October 1994
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ORG
QUASI
Mâcon Criminal Court
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001-60638_a11_e61
001-60638_a11_em91
DATETIME
NO_MASK
eight months
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QUANTITY
QUASI
10,000 French francs
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001-60638_a11_em93
DATETIME
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2 February 1995
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ORG
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Dijon Court of Appeal
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001-60638_a11_e59
001-60638_a11_em95
ORG
NO_MASK
001-60638_a11_em88
Criminal Court
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001-60638_a11_e12
001-60638_a11_em96
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
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001-60638_a11_e65
001-60638_a11_em97
DATETIME
QUASI
17 January 1996
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001-60638_a11_e12
001-60638_a11_em98
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr Adoud
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DATETIME
QUASI
5 November 1994
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001-60638_a11_e67
001-60638_a11_em101
QUANTITY
NO_MASK
40 k.p.h.
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001-60638_a11_e68
001-60638_a11_em102
QUANTITY
QUASI
143 k.p.h.
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001-60638_a11_e69
001-60638_a11_em103
QUANTITY
NO_MASK
90 k.p.h.
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001-60638_a11_e70
001-60638_a11_em104
DATETIME
QUASI
14 March 1995
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001-60638_a11_em105
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QUASI
Melle Police Court
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001-60638_a11_em106
QUANTITY
QUASI
FRF 1,500
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001-60638_a11_e73
001-60638_a11_em107
DATETIME
NO_MASK
twenty-one days
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001-60638_a11_em108
DATETIME
QUASI
15 December 1995
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001-60638_a11_em109
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Poitiers Court of Appeal
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001-60638_a11_em110
QUANTITY
QUASI
FRF 3,000
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001-60638_a11_e77
001-60638_a11_em111
DATETIME
NO_MASK
three months
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001-60638_a11_e78
001-60638_a11_em112
DATETIME
QUASI
6 August 1996
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001-60638_a11_e79
001-60638_a11_em113
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NO_MASK
Criminal Division of the Court of Cassation
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PERSON
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Mr Bosoni
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DATETIME
QUASI
11 November 1994
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001-60638_a11_e81
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NO_MASK
Paris Police Court
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001-60638_a11_e82
001-60638_a11_em117
DATETIME
QUASI
8 March 1995
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DATETIME
QUASI
12 April 1995
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NO_MASK
Paris Police Court
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001-60638_a11_e84
001-60638_a11_em120
QUANTITY
QUASI
FRF 1,800
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001-60638_a11_e85
001-60638_a11_em121
DATETIME
NO_MASK
one month
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001-60638_a11_e86
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DATETIME
QUASI
27 October 1995
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001-60638_a11_e87
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ORG
NO_MASK
Paris Court of Appeal
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001-60638_a11_em124
ORG
NO_MASK
001-60638_a11_em116
Police Court
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001-60638_a11_e88
001-60638_a11_em125
DATETIME
QUASI
2 November 1995
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001-60638_a11_e12
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ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60638_a11_e9
001-60638_a11_em127
DATETIME
QUASI
10 July 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60638_a11_e12
001-60638_a11_em128
ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Cassation
Nouredine Meftah
FRA
GRANDCHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Nouredine Meftah