SELMOUNI v. FRANCE JUDGMENT 13 41. In a judgment of 27 April 1994 the Court of Cassation decided to remove the case from the Bobigny investigating judge and transfer it to a judge of the Versailles tribunal de grande instance, in the interests of the proper administration of justice. On 21 June 1994 the public prosecutor at the Versailles tribunal de grande instance reopened the investigation, under the reference V.94.172.0178/3, into offences of “assault by public servants occasioning total unfitness for work for more than eight days and sexual assault by several assailants or accomplices, against any persons identified as a result of the investigation”. 42. On 22 June 1994 the case was allocated to Mrs Françoise CarlierPrigent, the Vice-President of the Versailles tribunal de grande instance in overall charge of judicial investigations. 43. On 8 August 1994 the investigating judge requested that both of Mr Selmouni’s medical files that had been placed under seal by the National Police Inspectorate be sent to her. The sealed documents were sent to her on 12 April 1995. 44. On 19 September 1995 Mr Selmouni underwent an operation on his left eye at Hôtel-Dieu Hospital. 45. In an order of 22 September 1995 the investigating judge appointed an eye specialist, Dr Biard, to examine Mr Selmouni. 46. On 5 January 1996 the medical expert was granted an extension of time in which to file his report. He filed it on 18 January 1996. In it he made the following findings: “1. Mr Selmouni’s eyesight has deteriorated since he was operated on in September 1995. It cannot be said with certainty that it really deteriorated between 25 November 1991 and the end of September 1995. 2. The assault of which he complains, namely the blows to the left periorbital region of his face, could have caused eye injuries, but apart from subjective symptoms of metamorphopsia, or even reduced vision, and of an isolated problem with the epiretinal membrane, no mark on the eye, in particular the anterior chamber, has ever been found, nor has any sign of haemorrhaging in the retina occurring contemporaneously with the blows complained of and enabling a link to be established between them. However, signs of degeneration were found in relation to a constitutional disorder (short-sightedness in both eyes).” 47. On 6 February 1996 the medical report was served on Mr Selmouni, who also gave evidence. He maintained his allegations against the four police officers he had named. On 7 March 1996 evidence was also heard from the other civil party, Mr Madi. Mr Madi named a fifth police officer, Mr Alexis Leclercq. 48. In a letter of 2 May 1996 the investigating judge asked the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (“CID”) for the names and addresses of the police officers against whom the complaints had been filed. He replied on 23 May 1996.