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Themes: Right to life Freedom from violence against women Slovak Republic

Kontrová v. Slovakia  | 2007

Justice for the mother of two murdered children

...she is the victim of a tyrant…

Dana Kontrová’s mother, quoted by Pluska - © Photo Topsky.sk

Background

For years Dana Kontrová was subjected to psychological and physical attacks from her husband. She repeatedly warned the police that he was violent and mentally unstable.

One complaint came after Ms Kontrová’s husband beat her with an electric cable. Two months later, the police were telephoned and warned that he had a shotgun and was threatening to kill himself and the children.

Under Slovak law, the police should have launched a criminal investigation and taken steps to protect the family. However, they did neither of these things.

Two days later the man took a shotgun and murdered the couple’s two children, aged five and one. He then turned the gun on himself.

Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights

Under the European Convention on Human Rights, the state has a duty to protect the lives of its citizens when they are under threat. The court ruled that the police had failed to do so in this case, even though they had received clear warnings and had been obliged to take action under Slovak law.

The inaction of the authorities had breached the right to life. 

...the direct consequence of these failures was the death of the applicant's children...

Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, May 2007

Follow-up

Dana was awarded compensation. She moved to the Czech Republic and started a new family.

The Slovak government took steps to ensure that all relevant authorities were made aware of these events and the need for a better police response. The European court’s judgment was sent to all regional courts, the chief of police and all directors of district police offices.  

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