HHC turned to the ECtHR concerning the accessibility of data on ex officio appointed defence counsels

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights after the Supreme Court of Hungary had ruled that the names of appointed counsels and the number of cases in which they were appointed in certain years are not public data and the Police is obliged to provide them. The aim of the HHC by requesting data was to demonstrate that the practice of having “in-house” lawyers at police headquarters is widespread. According to the HHC, the practice of in-house lawyers is endangering the impartiality and efficiency of the ex officio appointed defense counsels, which may affect the defendants’ right to effective defense in a negative way.