LIBERTY AND OTHERS v. THE UNITED KINGDOM JUDGMENT
1
In the case of Liberty and Others v. the United Kingdom,
The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a
Chamber composed of:
Lech Garlicki, President,
Nicolas Bratza,
Ljiljana Mijović,
David Thór Björgvinsson,
Ján Šikuta,
Päivi Hirvelä,
Mihai Poalelungi, judges,
and Lawrence Early, Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 10 June 2008,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:
PROCEDURE
1. The case originated in an application (no. 58243/00) against the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland lodged with the
Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by Liberty, British
Irish Rights Watch and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, a British and
two Irish civil liberties’ organisations based in London and Dublin
respectively, on 9 September 1999.
2. The applicants were represented by Mr A. Gask, a lawyer practising
in London. The United Kingdom Government (“the Government”) were
represented by their Agent, Mr D. Walton, Foreign and Commonwealth
Office.
3. On 25 June 2002 the Court decided to communicate the application to
the Government, and several rounds of observations were received from the
parties. On 22 March 2005 the Court adjourned the case until linked
proceedings before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal had concluded (see
paragraphs 11-15 below). On 27 February 2006 the Court resumed its
examination and, under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention,
decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its
admissibility. Further observations were, therefore, sought from the parties.
4. The applicants requested a hearing but the Court decided that it would
not be necessary.