The imposition of life imprisonment without any prospect of reduced sentence or release is inhuman and degrading treatment

JUDGMENT

Matiošaitis and others v. Lithuania 23-5-2017 (no. 22662/13, 51059/13, 58823/13, 59692/13, 59700/13, 60115/13, 69425/13 and 72824/13)

see here 

SUMMARY

Life imprisonment. Inhuman and degrading treatment. No prospect of release. The penalty of life imprisonment where there is no prospect of release or reduction of this sentence constitutes inhuman and degrading treatment of those convicted. Infringement of Article 3 of the ECHR.

PROVISION

Article 3

PRINCIPAL FACTS

The applications were made by eight Lithuanian nationals, who have all been sentenced to life imprisonment in Lithuania. They all claimed in particular that there was no realistic prospect of their sentences being commuted, and that they were therefore imprisoned with no prospect of release.

They complained that this punishment amounted to treatment which was in violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention.
The applicants are: Kęstutis Matiošaitis (born 1961), Juozas Maksimavičius (born 1963), Stanislovas Katkus (born 1956), Vladas Beleckas (born 1954), Rolandas Lenkaitis (born 1973), Aidas Kazlauskas (born 1968), Piort Gervin (born 1984), and Edmundas Svotas (born 1983). They are serving sentences in Lukiškės Prison (Mr Matiošaitis, Mr Maksimavičius, Mr Katkus, Mr Kazlauskas, Mr Gervin, and Mr Svotas) and the Pravieniškės Correctional Institution (Mr Beleckas and Mr Lenkaitis).

THE DECISION OF THE COURT

Violation of Article 3 – in respect of K. Matiošaitis, J. Maksimavičius, S. Katkus, V. Beleckas, A. Kazlauskas and P. Gervin. Application struck out of the Court’s list of cases in so far at it concerned R. Lenkaitis and E. Svotas

Just satisfaction: The Court held that the finding of a violation of Article 3 of the Convention constituted in itself sufficient just satisfaction for any non-pecuniary damage sustained by K. Matiošaitis, J. Maksimavičius, S. Katkus, V. Beleckas, A. Kazlauskas and P. Gervin.