177. At the hearing, the Government Co-Agent submitted that these claims were excessive.
178. The Court, taking into account the number of issues arising in the present case and their
complexity, awards the sums claimed in full, less the amounts already paid in legal aid by the
Council of Europe. The sum awarded to Mr Assenov’s Bulgarian representative should be
converted into Bulgarian leva at the rate applicable on the date of settlement.
C. Default interest
179. According to the information available to the Court, the statutory rate of interest applicable
in Bulgaria at the date of adoption of the present judgment is 5.08% per annum and that
applicable in the United Kingdom is 7.5% per annum.
for these reasons the court
1. Dismisses unanimously the Government’s preliminary objections;
2. Holds by eight votes to one that there has been no violation of Article 3 based on Mr
Assenov’s allegations of ill-treatment by the police;
3. Holds unanimously that there has been a violation of Article 3 of the Convention based on the
failure to carry out an effective official investigation into Mr Assenov’s allegations of illtreatment by the police;
4. Holds unanimously that there has been no violation of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention;
5. Holds unanimously that there has been a violation of Article 13 of the Convention;
6. Holds by eight votes to one that there has been no violation of Article 3 of the Convention in
respect of the conditions of Mr Assenov’s detention from July 1995 onwards;
7. Holds unanimously that there has been no violation of Article 5 § 1 of the Convention;
8. Holds unanimously that there has been a violation of Article 5 § 3 of the Convention in that
Mr Assenov was not brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorised by law to
exercise judicial power;
9. Holds unanimously that there has been a violation of Article 5 § 3 of the Convention in that
Mr Assenov was not given a trial within a reasonable time or released pending trial;
10. Holds unanimously that there has been a violation of Article 5 § 4 of the Convention;