European Court of Human Rights Rules that Absence of a Lawyer During Police Custody does not Violate the Right to a Fair Trial

On May 12, 2017, the European Court of Human Rights – Grand Chamber (Court) delivered a judgment in the case of Simeonovi v. Bulgaria (application no. 21980/04). The Court held, unanimously, that there had been a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention), but – by twelve votes to five – that there had been no violation of Article 6 §§ 1 and 3 (c) (right to a fair trial/right to legal assistance).