Information Note on the Court’s case-law No. 184
April 2015
Khan
v. Germany - 38030/12
Judgment 23.4.2015 [Section V] See: Chamber Judgment [2015] ECHR 411
Article 8
Expulsion
Proposed
removal of a mentally ill person who had lived and worked in the host country
for more than twenty years: expulsion
would not constitute a violation
Facts - The applicant moved from Pakistan to
Germany in 1991 with her husband. Three years later her son was born. She and
her husband divorced. The applicant worked as a cleaner in different companies
and obtained a permanent residence permit in Germany in 2001. In 2005 she
committed manslaughter in a state of acute psychosis. She was diagnosed with
schizophrenia and confined to a psychiatric hospital. In 2009 her expulsion was
ordered as she was found to pose a danger to public safety. Her mental health
subsequently improved and she was granted days of leave and allowed to work
full-time in the hospital laundry. The applicant lodged appeals on the grounds
that her expulsion would interfere with her right to respect for her family
life with her son and that her specific circumstances had not sufficiently been
taken into account. The domestic courts found that, in addition to a risk of
reoffending, the applicant was not integrated into German society since she
spoke no German and basic medical care for psychiatric patients was available
in big cities in Pakistan. Following a recommendation in a medical report, she
was released on probation. She continued to work, showed balanced behaviour and
was in regular contact with her son.
Law - Article 8: Previous Court judgments had shown
that the strength or weakness of social ties were best dealt with by assessing
the proportionality of the applicant’s expulsion under Article 8 § 2. The
expulsion order was based on Section 55 of the “Act on the Residence,
Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory” which
permitted expulsion in the event of danger to public safety and law and order.
The measure pursued the legitimate aim of public safety.
As to whether expulsion was in the specific circumstances
of the case necessary in a democratic society, the Court noted that the
offence, though serious, had been committed in a state of mental incapacity,
the applicant had lived for more than 20 years in Germany and, by the time
the lawfulness of the expulsion order was established domestically, her
condition had improved and there was no indication that she had reoffended at
any point. However, the applicant’s son was now an adult and mere bonds of
affection between adult family members did not enjoy specific family life
protection. Although the applicant had been integrated into the German labour
market, she had not produced any other evidence of participation in social
life. She still had family members in Pakistan and was familiar with the
language and culture. Although, since her relatives in Pakistan refused to
help, problems might arise regarding her medical care, it was possible that
these could be overcome with her pension from Germany. Even taking into consideration
a rather difficult environment for the applicant in Pakistan, the possible
problems did not carry enough weight to represent an overwhelming obstacle for
her return there.
Weighing the impact on the applicant’s private life
against the danger posed to public safety, the Court did not find that the
German authorities had overstepped their margin of appreciation.
Conclusion: expulsion would not constitute a
violation (six votes to one).
(See, generally, the Factsheets on Expulsions
and extraditions and on Mental health)
Met dank aan: http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2015/442.html
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