LINDON, OTCHAKOVSKY-LAURENS AND JULY v. FRANCE - 21279/02

Mr C.L. Rozakis, President, Mr L. Wildhaber, Mr J.-P. Costa, Sir Nicolas Bratza, Mr B.M. Zupančič, Mr P. Lorenzen, Mrs F. Tulkens, Mr L. Loucaides, Mr J. Casadevall, Mr M. Ugrekhelidze, Mrs E. Steiner, Mr L. Garlicki, Mr K. Hajiyev, Mrs R. Jaeger, Mr S.E. Jebens, Mr David Thór Björgvinsson, Mr J. Šikuta, judges,

The case originated in two applications against the French Republic lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by three French nationals (“the applicants”). The first application (no. 21279/02) was lodged on 23 May 2002 by Mr Mathieu Lindon (“the first applicant”) and Mr Otchakovsky-Laurens (“the second applicant”), and the second application (no. 36448/02) was lodged on 27 September 2002 by Mr Serge July (“the third applicant”).

The first two applicants were represented by Mr H. Leclerc and Mr R. Rappaport, lawyers practising in Paris, and the third applicant was represented by Mr J.-P. Levy, a lawyer also practising in Paris. The French Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mrs E. Belliard, Director of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The applications were allocated to the Court's First Section (Rule 52 § 1 of the Rules of Court). On 1 June 2006 a Chamber of that Section, composed of the following judges: Mr C. L. Rozakis, President, Mr L. Loucaides, Mr J.-P. Costa, Mrs F. Tulkens, Mrs E. Steiner, Mr K. Hajiyev and Mr S. E. Jebens, and also of Mr S. Nielsen, Section Registrar, relinquished jurisdiction in favour of the Grand Chamber, none of the parties having objected to relinquishment (Article 30 of the Convention and Rule 72).

The composition of the Grand Chamber was determined in accordance with the provisions of Article 27 §§ 2 and 3 of the Convention and Rule 24.