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In the courts - the Harry Shindler case
 
 
 
 
Harry Shindler v. the UK - before the European Court of Human Rights

 

Harry Shindler is a World War II veteran who lives in Porto D’Ascoli, Italy.
Born in 1921, he served notably with the British Eighth Army in the liberation of Italy
in 1944.

 

On 26 March 2009 he petitioned the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) in Strasbourg to complain that he is no longer permitted to vote in United
Kingdom elections,that he is being discriminated against as his property is
outside the United Kingdom, and that he has the right to choose his place of
residence without being disenfranchised.

 

Read here how Justin Parkinson of the BBC reported Mr Shindler’s
application to the ECHR, and the ECHR’s response here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The ECHR ruled against Mr Shindler on 7 May 2013, whereupon
Mr Shindler made an application to take his case to appeal before
the Grand Chamber of the ECHR.

 
On 9 September 2013, a panel of five judges of the Grand Chamber
decided not to accept Mr Shindler’s request that his case be referred
to the Grand Chamber.

No reasons are given for this decision, and there is no further appeal
possible.


However, Harry Shindler vows to continue with his campaign for the right
to vote in the UK national elections and referendums, and intends to petition
the United Nations, as he also believes that his disenfranchisement is in
violation of the Universal Charter of Human Rights (Art.21).