PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 6390/03) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Mr Andrzej Bogusław Nowicki (“the applicant”), on 28 December 2002.

The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 19 May 2006 the President of the Fourth Section decided to give notice of the application to the Government. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it was decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1952 and lives in Goleniów.

A. The first set of criminal proceedings against the applicant

The applicant was charged with attempted burglary. On 22 November 2000 the Myślibórz District Court convicted him as charged and sentenced him to 20 months’ imprisonment, taking into account that he was a habitual offender. The applicant appealed. On 6 April 2001 the Gorzów Wielkopolski Regional Court quashed the first-instance judgment and remitted the case.

On 20 March 2002 the Myślibórz District Court again convicted the applicant of attempted burglary and sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment. The applicant appealed. On 8 July 2002 the Szczecin Regional Court upheld the District Court’s judgment, finding that the correctness of the conviction was borne out by the evidence before the trial court.

On 26 September 2002 the applicant’s legal-aid counsel refused to file a cassation appeal in his case for lack of appropriate grounds. Throughout the proceedings, except for the retrial, the applicant was represented by a counsel.

B. The second set of criminal proceedings against the applicant

In October 2003 the applicant was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the sale of stolen goods. He was remanded in custody from 7 October 2003 to 5 February 2004. On 19 March 2004 the Szczecin District Court convicted the applicant as charged and sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment. It took into account that the applicant was a habitual offender. The applicant appealed against the trial court’s judgment.

On 13 August 2004 the Szczecin Regional Court upheld the first-instance judgment. The applicant was represented by a counsel. It appears that he did not lodge a cassation appeal against the Regional Court’s judgment.

C. The alleged censorship of the applicant’s correspondence with the Court

The envelope in which the applicant’s letter dated 4 December 2003 was sent to the Court from the Szczecin Detention Centre bears two stamps that read: “censored” (ocenzurowano) and “Szczecin Detention Centre” (Areszt Śledczy, Szczecin). It appears that the envelope was cut open and subsequently resealed with adhesive tape.