European Court of Human Rights

Press Release

issued by the Registrar of the Court

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS COUR EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME

Court lifts interim measure suspending expulsion from Germany to Russia of man suspected of planning terrorist attacks

Today (29 August 2017), a Chamber of seven judges of the European Court of Human Rights, unanimously, decided to lift the interim measure (under Rule 39 of its Rules of Court) applied in the case of X. v. Germany (application no. 54646/17), suspending the removal from Germany to Russia of a Russian national residing in Germany, who is considered by the German authorities to constitute a threat to national security.

The applicant, who was born in Dagestan and has grown up in Germany, complains, in particular, that his imminent removal to Russia would expose him to the risk of being tortured, placed under surveillance, detained or subjected to a forced disappearance.

In March 2017, the applicant's deportation to Russia was ordered by the German authorities, as, suspected of intending to participate in or carry out a terrorist attack in Germany, he was considered to constitute a threat to national security. He was placed in detention pending deportation. In July 2017 both the Federal Administrative Court and the Federal Constitutional Court rejected his requests for interim measures suspending his removal.

On 31 July 2017, the European Court of Human Rights applied an interim measure following a request by the applicant, indicating to the German Government that he should not be removed pending the receipt of further information. At the same time, the Court applied anonymity to the case. Today's decision was taken after both parties had submitted the requested information.

The lifting of the interim measure is a procedural step; it does not prejudge the Court's decision on the admissibility or the merits of the case. The case remains pending before the Court.

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The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights.