THIRD SECTION
DECISION
Applications nos. 25039/21 and 25071/21
Asiya Hasanova CHAPADZHIEVA against Bulgaria and
Ahmed Hasanov CHAPADZHIEV against Bulgaria
The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting on 22 May 2025 as a Committee composed of:
Oddný Mjöll Arnardóttir, President,
Úna Ní Raifeartaigh,
Mateja Đurović, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above applications lodged on 7 May 2021,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
FACTS AND PROCEDURE
The list of the applicants is set out in the appendix.
The applicants were represented by Mr B. Karamanolov, a lawyer practising in Smolyan.
The applicants, who are spouses and were party to identical domestic procedures, complained under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention of violations of their right to an impartial tribunal. The complaints were communicated to the Bulgarian Government (“the Government”), who submitted observations on the admissibility and merits. The observations were forwarded to the applicants, who were invited to submit their own observations. No reply was received to the Registry’s letter.
By a new letter dated 6 February 2025 sent through the Court’s Electronic Communication Service (eComms), the applicants were notified that the period allowed for submission of their observations had expired on 22 January 2025 and that no extension of time had been requested. The applicants’ attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, which provides that the Court may strike an application out of its list of cases where the circumstances lead to the conclusion that the applicant does not intend to pursue the application.
The applicants’ representative downloaded the Court’s letter on the eComms platform on 6 February 2025. However, no response has followed.
THE LAW
Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.
In the light of the foregoing, and in the absence of any special circumstances regarding respect for the rights guaranteed by the Convention and the Protocols thereto, the Court, in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, considers that it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the applications.
Accordingly, the applications should be struck out of the list of cases.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Decides to join the applications;
Decides to strike the applications out of its list of cases.
Done in English and notified in writing on 12 June 2025.
Viktoriya Maradudina Oddný Mjöll Arnardóttir
Acting Deputy Registrar President