FOURTH SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 21591/23
Clarisse DE JESUS SECA
against Portugal
(see appended table)
The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 9 April 2026 as a Committee composed of:
 Anne Louise Bormann, President,
 Sebastian Răduleţu,
 András Jakab, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application against the Portuguese Republic lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on 24 May 2023,
Having regard to the declaration submitted by the respondent Government requesting the Court to strike the application out of the list of cases, and the applicant’s reply to this declaration,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
FACTS AND PROCEDUREThe applicant’s details are set out in the appended table.
The applicant was represented by Mr D.M. Prata Costa, a lawyer practising in Bragança.
The applicant’s complaints under Article 6 § 1 and Article 13 of the Convention concerning his right to have access to a court were communicated to the Portuguese Government (“the Government”).
The Government submitted a declaration with a view to resolving the issues raised by these complaints. They offered to pay the applicant the amounts detailed in the appended table and invited the Court to strike the application out of the list of cases in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention. The amounts would be payable within three months from the date of notification of the Court’s decision. In the event of failure to pay these amounts within the above-mentioned three-month period, the Government undertook to pay simple interest on them, from the expiry of that period until settlement, at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.
The payment will constitute the final resolution of the case.
The applicant informed the Court that she agreed to the terms of the declaration.
THE LAWThe Court finds that, following the applicant’s express agreement to the terms of the declaration made by the Government, the case should be treated as a friendly settlement between the parties.
It therefore takes note of the friendly settlement reached between the parties. It is satisfied that the settlement is based on respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and the Protocols thereto and finds no reasons to justify the continued examination of the application.
In view of the above, it is appropriate to strike the case out of the list.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases in accordance with Article 39 of the Convention.
Done in English and notified in writing on 13 May 2026.
 
 Viktoriya Maradudina Anne Louise Bormann
 Acting Deputy Registrar President
APPENDIX
 
Application raising complaints under Article 6 § 1 and Article 13 of the Convention
Application no.
Date of introduction
Applicant’s name
Year of birth
 
Representative’s name and location
Date of receipt of Government’s declaration
Date of receipt of applicant’s acceptance
Amount awarded for pecuniary damage per applicant
(in euros)[1]
Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses
per applicant
(in euros)[2]
21591/23
24/05/2023
Clarisse DE JESUS SECA
1949
 
Prata Costa Dinis Manuel
Bragança
12/12/2025
17/12/2025
20,000
10,300
 
[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicant.
[2] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicant.