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Exceptions are possible, but the rights of the defence, which require as a rule that the accused should be given an adequate and proper opportunity to challenge and question a witness against him, either when that witness makes his statement or at a later stage of the proceedings, must not be infringed (see Lucà v. Italy, no. 33354/96, §§ 39-40, ECHR 2001-II, and more recently Kazakov v Russia, no16412/06 § 28, [4 December 2014], not yet public).

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The Court reiterates at the outset that the rights granted under Article 6 § 3 of the Convention form a particular aspect of the right to a fair trial guaranteed under Article 6 § 1, therefore it will examine the complaints under both articles together (see Al-Khawaja and Tahery v. the United Kingdom [GC], nos. 26766/05 and 22228/06, § 118, ECHR 2011; see also Ž. v. Latvia, no. 14755/03, §§ 99-100, 24 January 2008).

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In this connection the Court pays particular attention to the national court's reasoning as to the necessity to hear witnesses in cases where the conviction is based principally on the same statements which led the lower court to an acquittal of the defendant (see Destrehem v. France, no. 56651/00, § 45, 18 May 2004, and Vidal v. Belgium, 22 April 1992, §§ 33-34, Series A no. 235-B).

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However, the above-mentioned article does not require the attendance and examination of every witness on the accused's behalf (see Bricmont v. Belgium, 7 July 1989, § 89, Series A no. 158), and it is accordingly not sufficient for a defendant to complain that he has not been allowed to question certain witnesses; he must, in addition, support his request by explaining why it is important for the witnesses concerned to be heard, and their evidence must be necessary for the establishment of the truth (see Perna v. Italy [GC], no. 48898/99, § 29, ECHR 2003-V).