Comentário do acórdão Correia de Matos c. Portugal do TEDH na perspetiva da discriminação de grupos profissionais

The purpose of this commentary is to analyse the contribution of Judge Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque, a member of the Grand Chamber, to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of Correia de Matos v. Portugal (Application n.º56402/12) of 4 April 2018. In this case, the applicant complained of the decision of the Portuguese domestic courts refusing to allow him to conduct his own defence in the criminal proceedings against him and requiring that he be represented by a lawyer. The ECtHR held, by nine votes to eight, that there had been no violation of Article 6 §§ 1 and 3 (c) (right to a fair trial/right to defend oneself in person) of the European Convention on Human Rights. Judge Pinto de Albuquerque expressed a dissenting opinion. The central issue addressed is discrimination of professional groups, i.e. the position of Portuguese legislation which makes self-representation impossible in criminal proceedings.