An alien’s right to appeal in an expulsion procedure in light of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Abstract

In cases concerning expulsion of aliens, an expulsion decision should identify a competent authority as well as applicable provisions of substantive law and relevant procedural rules. An alien should be granted a right to appeal to an independent authority requesting revision of the legality of the expulsion order. The effectiveness of the above right depends on whether it has a suspensive effect leading to a State suspending an expulsion decision at the moment it is filed. Under the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), the right of an alien to appeal against a deportation order is expressed in Article 13 and Article 1 of Protocol No. 7 to the ECHR. However, on the basis of the existing case law and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, it may be concluded that Article 1 of Protocol No. 7 to the ECHR has not played any important role in practice. The procedural guarantees to which an alien is entitled in expulsion proceedings remain beyond the scope of the right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the ECHR. What is more, there are still countries unwilling to ratify Protocol No. 7. Thus Article 13 of the ECHR is an attempt to close the loophole concerning procedural protection against expulsion and formulates the right to an effective remedy.