French suspend articles 6.1 and 6.3 of European Convention on Human Rights

ECHR case-law news of France is reporting that the French ministry of Justice has announced that articles 6-1 and 6-3 of the Convention are suspended.

"On October 19th 2010, the ministry of Justice notified all district attorneys (D.A) and judges of France that the rights under article 6-1 and 6-3 of the Convention were suspended for suspects in police custody until July 1st 2011.  According to the official notice, these rights are  the right to be informed of the right to remain silent and the right to have the legal assistance of a lawyer during police interrogation (case Brusco v. France (1466/07)).

The notice also stated that judges in France cant dismiss confession obtained in violation of articles 6-1 and 6-3 of the Convention and that any ruling of dismissal will be appealed by the district attorney...

The notice explained that this suspension of articles 6-1 and 6-3 of the Convention is based on 3 controversial rulings of the supreme court  on October 19th 2010(case Tisset (10-82.902), case Sahraoui (10-82.306), case Bonnifet (10-85.051)). Case Sahraoui and Bonnifet were brought to the supreme court following appeals by the D.A of the appeal court of Poitiers and the one of the appeal court of Agen.

In these 3 cases the D.A of the supreme court pleaded that the articles 6-1 and 6-3 of the Convention should be considered  having being suspended until July 1st 2011 because the agency Conseil Constitutionnel already ruled in the application 2010-14/22 QPC [en] that rights under the Constitution were suspended for suspects in police custody until July 1st 2011. The ruling of the supreme court in favor of the retroactive suspension of the Convention for a “good administration of justice“, was a move that left numerous lawyers in France bewildered.

In fact, the obligation of the French Republic under the articles 6-1 and 6-3 of the Convention, can only be suspended  “in time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation” (art.15-1 of the Convention)."

A copy of the order of suspension is available at Scribd.

DACG19102010

It appears to be signed by Maryvonne Caillbotte who is the Director of Criminal Affairs and Pardons at the French Department of Justice.