European court finds against Bulgaria in football match racist assault case

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that there were two violations of the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of a British national assaulted after a football match at Bulgaria’s Vassil Levski national stadium in Sofia, which he alleges was prompted by racism, the court announced on February 17.

British national Leon Koffi attended a football match in September 2018 between two of Bulgaria’s clubs.

“The case concerns an assault on Mr Koffi which occurred following the end of the football match when fans were leaving the stadium, and which he alleges was prompted by racist motives,” the court said in a media statement.

Relying, in particular, on Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European

Convention on Human Rights, he complained, firstly, that the authorities had failed to put in

place adequate regulations and operational measures with a view to preventing the assault on him

and, secondly, that the authorities had not effectively investigated the assault.

The court agreed that there had not been effective investigation, and ruled that the Convention’s Articles 13 and 14 had been violated.

Article 13 provides for the tight to an effective remedy: “Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in this Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity”.

Article 14 concerns prohibition of discrimination: “The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status”.

The court awarded non-pecuniary damage of 18 500 euro and costs and expenses of 4500 euro.

(Photo: CherryX)