D.B. v. the United Kingdom

SECOND SECTION

Application no. 43246/21 D.B. against the United Kingdom

(see appended table)

The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting on 18 June 2026 as a Committee composed of:

Stéphane Pisani , President , Juha Lavapuro, Hugh Mercer , judges ,

and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,

Having regard to the above application against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on 16 August 2021,

Having regard to the decision not to have the applicant’s name disclosed,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

The applicant was born in 1986.

The applicant’s complaints under Article 8 of the Convention concerning an adoption order granted in respect of his son were communicated to the United Kingdom Government (“the Government”) on 29 March 2022. The parties subsequently submitted observations on the admissibility and merits of the case.

By letter dated 12 December 2025, the Court requested the applicant to provide certain documents relevant to his case. On 12 January 2026 the Court repeated its request for the same documents. No response was received from the applicant to either letter.

By letter dated 26 March 2026, sent by express mail and by email, the Court requested that the applicant provide additional documents relevant to his case. The applicant’s attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, which provides that the Court may strike an application out of its list of cases where the circumstances lead to the conclusion that the applicant does not intend to pursue the application. The Court’s letter was delivered to the applicant’s address by post on 24 April 2026. However, no response followed.

In the light of the foregoing, and in the absence of any special circumstances regarding respect for the rights guaranteed by the Convention and the Protocols thereto, the Court, in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, considers that it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the application.

Accordingly, the case should be struck out of the list.

For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,

Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.

Done in English and notified in writing on 9 July 2026.

Viktoriya Maradudina Stéphane Pisani Acting Deputy Registrar President

APPENDIX

Application raising complaints under Article 8 of the Convention

Application no. Date of introduction

Applicant’s name

Year of birth

Date of the

applicant’s last

communication with the Court

Date of the Court’s

letter sent by express mail

Date of delivery of the letter sent by express mail

43246/21

16/08/2021

D.B.

1986

22/02/2023

26/03/2026

24/04/2026