Criteria for Assessing the Violation of the Right to a Trial Within a Reasonable Time
Abstract: The well-known sentence in English Justice delayed is justice denied confirms historical awareness of the value of a speedy court decision. The right to a fair trial within a reasonable time applies to both civil and criminal proceedings. In a criminal trial, the issue of adjournment may also be regulated under Article 5 paragraph 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms when a person is detained. The rationale for the principle, in criminal proceedings, is “based on the need to allow the accused not to remain for too long in a state of uncertainty as to the outcome of criminal charges against him” (Kart v. Turkey, European Court of Human Rights, 2009). Furthermore, the variability of criminal proceedings that take too long - generally damages the reputation of the alleged off ender. The European Court of Human Rights explained that “the reason for the verdict in so many lenghty proceedings is that certain contracting parties have not complied with the ‘reasonable time’ requirement under Article 6 paragraph 1 of the European Convention and have not prescribed a domestic remedy for this type of appeal” (Scordino v. Italy (no. 1) [GC], 2006-V).
Key words: reasonable time, Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms, Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Court of Human Rights.
Rezime: Poznata rečenica na engleskom jeziku Justice delayed is justice denied (pravo koje kasni je pravo koje se odriče) potvrđuje istorijsku svijest o vrijednosti brze sudske odluke. Pravo na pravično suđenje u razumnom roku primjenjuje se i na građanski i na krivični postupak. U krivičnom suđenju, pitanje odgode može se regulisati i članom 5 stav 3 Evropske konvencije za zaštitu ljudskih prava i osnovnih sloboda kada je osoba pritvorena. Obrazloženje principa, u krivičnom postupku „zasnovano je na potrebi da se omogući optuženom da ne ostane predugo u stanju neizvjesnosti o ishodu krivičnih optužbi protiv njega“ (Kart v. Turkey, Evropski sud za ljudska prava, 2009). Nadalje, promjenjivost krivičnog postupka koji predugo traje - uopšteno šteti reputaciji navodnog prestupnika. Evropski sud za ljudska prava je objasnio da je „razlog zbog kojeg je ponesena presuda u toliko dugotrajnih postupaka taj što određene ugovorne stranke godinama nisu ispoštovale uslov ´razumnog roka` iz člana 6 stav 1 Evropske konvencije i nisu propisale domaći pravni lijek za ovu vrstu žalbe“ (Scordino v. Italy (no. 1) [GC], 2006-V).
Ključne riječi: razuman rok, Ustav Bosne i Hercegovine, Evropska konvencija za zaštitu ljudskih prava i osnovnih sloboda, Ustavni sud Bosne i Hercegovine, Evropski sud za ljudska prava.