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Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average length of time was between a casereferred to the European Court of Human Rights and a judgment in a case in the last 12 months; and when he expects a judgment in thecases of (a) Leyla Zana, (b) Selim Sadak, (c) Hatip Dicle and (d) Orhan Dogah. [160383]Mr. Battle: The new European Court of Human Rights came into existence on 1 November 1998. The Court has set itself the objective ofreaching a final judgment on the merits of a case within two years of that case being introduced. However, due to the considerablebacklog of cases that the new Court inherited from the previous European Court and Commission, the Court is not at present in aposition to meet that objective. The Government have provided additional assistance to the Court to help in clear that backlog. Themajority of cases that do not go for judgment are decided within one year.Judgments are expected shortly in the cases of Leyla Zana, Selim Sadak, Hatip Dicle and Orhan Dogah, and probably by the beginningof June. |