FOURTH SECTION
CASE OF SAMARUKOV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA
(Applications nos. 54274/18 and 31 others –
see appended list)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
11 January 2024
This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.
In the case of Samarukov and Others v. Russia,
The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:
Branko Lubarda, President,
Armen Harutyunyan,
Ana Maria Guerra Martins, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 30 November 2023,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:
PROCEDURE
1. The case originated in applications against Russia lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table.
2. The Russian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications.
THE FACTS
3. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table.
4. The applicants complained of the inadequate conditions of their detention. Some applicants also raised other complaints under the provisions of the Convention.
THE LAWJOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS
5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.JURISDICTION
6. The Court observes that the facts giving rise to the alleged violations of the Convention occurred prior to 16 September 2022, the date on which the Russian Federation ceased to be a party to the Convention. The Court therefore decides that it has jurisdiction to examine the present applications (see Fedotova and Others v. Russia [GC], nos. 40792/10 and 2 others, §§ 68‑73, 17 January 2023).ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 3 OF THE CONVENTION
7. The applicants complained principally of the inadequate conditions of their detention. They relied on Article 3 of the Convention, which reads as follows:
“No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
8. The Court notes that the applicants were kept in detention in poor conditions. The details of the applicants’ detention are indicated in the appended table. The Court refers to the principles established in its case‑law regarding inadequate conditions of detention (see, for instance, Muršić v. Croatia [GC], no. 7334/13, §§ 96‑101, ECHR 2016). It reiterates in particular that a serious lack of space in a prison cell weighs heavily as a factor to be taken into account for the purpose of establishing whether the detention conditions described are “degrading” from the point of view of Article 3 and may disclose a violation, both alone or taken together with other shortcomings (see Muršić, cited above, §§ 122-41, and Ananyev and Others v. Russia, nos. 42525/07 and 60800/08, §§ 149‑59, 10 January 2012).
9. In the leading case of Sergey Babushkin v. Russia, no. 5993/08, 28 November 2013, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.
10. Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion on the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the applicants’ conditions of detention were inadequate.
11. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 3 of the Convention.OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW
12. Some applicants submitted other complaints which also raised issues under the Convention, given the relevant well-established case-law of the Court (see appended table). These complaints are not manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the Convention, nor are they inadmissible on any other ground. Accordingly, they must be declared admissible. Having examined all the material before it, the Court concludes that they also disclose violations of the Convention in the light of its well‑established case-law (see Sergey Babushkin, cited above, §§ 38-45, concerning the lack of an effective remedy for the complaint about conditions of post-conviction detention; Idalov v. Russia [GC], no. 5826/03, §§ 103-08 and 154-58, 22 May 2012; and Tomov and Others v. Russia, nos. 18255/10 and 5 others, §§ 92-156, 9 April 2019, concerning inadequate conditions of transport and the lack of an effective remedy in that respect).APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION
13. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see, in particular, Sergey Babushkin v. Russia, (just satisfaction), no. 5993/08, 16 October 2014 and Mozharov and Others v. Russia, no. 16401/12 and 9 others, 21 March 2017), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.
FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY,Decides to join the applications;Holds that it has jurisdiction to deal with these applications as they relate to facts that took place before 16 September 2022;Declares the applications admissible;Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 3 of the Convention concerning the inadequate conditions of detention after conviction;Holds that there has been a violation of the Convention as regards the other complaints raised under the well-established case-law of the Court (see the appended table);Holds
(a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date of settlement;
(b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default during the default period plus three percentage points.
Done in English, and notified in writing on 11 January 2024, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.
Viktoriya Maradudina Branko Lubarda
Acting Deputy Registrar President
APPENDIX
List of applications raising complaints under Article 3 of the Convention
(inadequate conditions of detention after conviction)
No.
Application no.
Date of introduction
Applicant’s name
Year of birth
Representative’s name and location
Facility
Start and end date
Duration
Inmates per brigade
Sq. m per inmate
Number of toilets per brigade
Specific grievances
Other complaints under well-established case-law
Amount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant (in euros)[1]
54274/18
06/11/2018
Yevgeniy Andreyevich SAMARUKOV
1982
IK-5 Kirov Region
25/04/2017 to
06/10/2019
2 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 12 day(s)
100 inmate(s)
2.8 m²
overcrowding, no or restricted access to shower, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, lack of requisite medical assistance
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
8,000
54431/18
12/02/2019
Valeriy Pavlovich SHMELEV
1960
IK-29 Kirov Region
02/04/2014 to
29/08/2018
4 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 28 day(s)
<2-2 m²
poor quality of food, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of potable water, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to warm water, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, passive smoking
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
5,000
54596/18
08/11/2018
Nikolay Sergeyevich KNYAZEV
1990
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
20/06/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 28 day(s)
120 inmate(s)
1.5 m²
8 toilet(s)
lack of fresh air, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to warm water, overcrowding, lack of requisite medical assistance, poor quality of food
12,500
54655/18
05/11/2018
Yuriy Aleksandrovich KHAVANOV
1982
IK-4 Arkhangelsk Region
04/06/2015, pending as of 16/09/2022
7 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 13 day(s)
130 inmate(s)
<2 m²
7 toilet(s)
mouldy or dirty cell, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to warm water, overcrowding, lack or inadequate furniture
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
54748/18
02/11/2018
Vladimir Arkadyevich KOLTSOV
1958
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
20/04/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 28 day(s)
1.7 m²
lack of fresh air, no or restricted access to toilet, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack or inadequate furniture, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
54822/18
09/11/2018
Khabibullo Abdullayevich GULOV
1966
IK-29 Kirov Region
23/03/2012, pending as of 16/09/2022
10 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 25 day(s)
2.4 m²
lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, mouldy or dirty cell, poor quality of food, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
54887/18
29/10/2018
Aleksandr Vyacheslavovich TARAKANOV
1982
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
10/01/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 7 day(s)
1.6 m²
lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of privacy for toilet, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of food, small local area, passive smoking, no or restricted access to shower, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
54908/18
28/01/2019
Vyacheslav Igorevich YEMELYANOV
1993
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
01/08/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 16 day(s)
1.3 m²
overcrowding, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of or insufficient electric light, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, bunk beds, poor quality of food
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
54933/18
06/11/2018
Maksim Mikhaylovich LOSHKAREV
1985
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
01/10/2015, pending as of
16/09/2022
6 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 16 day(s)
1.6 m²
lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, small local area, lack of requisite medical assistance, poor quality of food, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
55403/18
08/11/2018
Aleksandr Valeryevich UTYUZHNIKOV
1982
Malinin Andrey Anatolyevich
Pechora
IK-1 Komi Republic
01/10/2016, pending as of
16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 16 day(s)
30 inmate(s)
1.67 m²
2 toilet(s)
constant electric light, overcrowding, poor quality of food, lack of privacy for toilet, infestation of cell with insects/rodents
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention and in respect of inadequate conditions of detention during transport;
Art. 3 - inadequate conditions of detention during transport - inadequate conditions during his transportation on 30/07/2018: overcrowding (0.35 sq. m. per person), lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, no or restricted access to toilet
13,500
55413/18
09/11/2018
Andrey Yuryevich KUZMINSKIY
1978
IK-1 Arkhangelsk Region
31/12/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
4 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 17 day(s)
88 inmate(s)
1.6 m²
4 toilet(s)
overcrowding, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to toilet, mouldy or dirty cell, poor quality of food
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
55563/18
12/11/2018
Oleg Aleksandrovich KRASNOV
1980
Preobrazhenskaya Oksana Vladimirovna
Strasbourg
IK-6 Orenburg Region
21/03/2002, pending as of 16/09/2022
20 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 27 day(s)
6 inmate(s)
2 m²
lack of fresh air, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of or insufficient electric light, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
55592/18
09/11/2018
Aleksey Viktorovich TSVETKOV
1982
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
01/07/2015, pending as of 16/09/2022
7 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 16 day(s)
110 inmate(s)
1.3 m²
lack of fresh air, overcrowding, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, small local area, lack of requisite medical assistance, lack or inadequate furniture
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
55827/18
10/11/2018
Aleksey Igorevich IVANOV
1988
IK-25 Chelyabinsk Region
09/11/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 8 day(s)
135 inmate(s)
2.2 m²
8 toilet(s)
overcrowding, lack of fresh air, insufficient number of toilets and wash basins, poor quality of potable water, insufficient number of hygiene items provided
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
55985/18
17/11/2018
Vitaliy Viktorovich ZATSEPIN
1975
IK-1 Arkhangelsk Region
08/04/2005 to
26/12/2021
16 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 19 day(s)
85 inmate(s)
<2 m²
4 toilet(s)
no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to warm water, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,000
55992/18
12/11/2018
Ivan Olegovich KOLOBOV
1993
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod
22/05/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 26 day(s)
1.6 m²
lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, constant electric light, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack or insufficient quantity of food, overcrowding, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to toilet
12,500
56201/18
14/11/2018
Yuriy Sergeyevich MASHKOVSKIY
1984
IK-5 Krasnoyarsk Region
09/07/2018, pending as of 16/09/2022
4 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 8 day(s)
110 inmate(s)
2.2-2.7 m²
4 toilet(s)
lack of privacy for toilet, lack of fresh air, overcrowding, inadequate temperature, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, mouldy or dirty cell
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
56202/18
14/11/2018
Aleksey Petrovich RUBAN
1973
IK-5 Krasnoyarsk Region
20/01/2015 to
27/05/2019
4 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 8 day(s)
150 inmate(s)
2-2.6 m²
4 toilet(s)
lack of privacy for toilet, overcrowding, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, infestation of cell with insects, lack or inadequate furniture, lack or inadequate cloths
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
6,800
56525/18
27/11/2018
Konstantin Vladimirovich GLUKHOV
1976
OIK-36 IK-5 Krasnoyarsk Region
18/11/2018 to
06/02/2019
2 month(s) and 20 day(s)
140 inmate(s)
2.55 m²
overcrowding, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of requisite medical assistance, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen
Art. 3 - inadequate conditions of detention during transport - 17/08/2018 to 18/08/2018, train: overcrowding, insufficient number of sleeping places, no or restricted access to toilet, lack or insufficient quantity of food, 13 inmates per train compartment; 14/11/2018 to 15/11/2018, transit cell, van: overcrowding, no or restricted access to toilet, 30 inmates (transport by van), 14 hours’ transfer by van on 14/11/2018, no individual sleeping place provided in a transit cell on 15/11/2018;
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention and in respect of poor conditions of transport
2,300
56684/18
14/11/2018
Dmitriy Yuryevich BOLSHAKOV
1970
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
26/07/2017, pending as of
16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 22 day(s)
1.3 m²
lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient natural light, sharing cells with inmates infected with contagious disease, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, inadequate temperature, inappropriate clothes, lack of fresh air, passive smoking, poor quality of food, mouldy or dirty cell
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
56698/18
12/11/2018
Nikolay Nikolayevich SOKIRKO
1982
IK-1 Komi Republic
25/08/2018, pending as of 16/09/2022
4 year(s) and 23 day(s)
47 inmate(s)
1.7 m²
infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of toiletries, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to warm water, overcrowding, passive smoking
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention and in respect of poor conditions of transport;
Art. 3 - inadequate conditions of detention during transport - transport by train from 13/04/2018 to 23/08/2018 - lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, passive smoking, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient electric light, inadequate temperature, no or restricted access to potable water, no or restricted access to toilet
13,500
56719/18
16/11/2018
Yevgeniy Nikolayevich SKATOV
1987
IK-2 (cell-type facility), IK-5 (hospital) Zabaykalskiy Region
04/02/2018 to
09/08/2020
2 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 6 day(s)
2-3 m²
mouldy or dirty cell, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
9,900
56772/18
19/11/2018
Maksim Aleksandrovich KUSHNIRUK
1979
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
31/07/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 17 day(s)
140 inmate(s)
1.5 m²
overcrowding, lack of dormitory surface to move freely between furniture items, bad odour in dormitory, lack of fresh air, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of requisite medical assistance, lack or inadequate furniture, poor quality of food
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
56798/18
02/11/2018
Oleg Ivanovich SMIRNOV
1965
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
20/08/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 28 day(s)
120 inmate(s)
1.2 m²
6 toilet(s)
overcrowding, lack of dormitory surface to move freely between furniture items, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of fresh air, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, passive smoking, poor quality of food, lack or inadequate furniture
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
56870/18
17/11/2018
Sergey Aleksandrovich VORONIN
1970
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
01/04/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
5 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 16 day(s)
1.7 m²
overcrowding, lack of fresh air, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
56892/18
21/10/2018
Maksim Eduardovich BUTAKOV
1988
IK-25 Chelyabinsk Region
21/09/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
4 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 27 day(s)
62 inmate(s)
1.4 m²
lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, poor quality of food, overcrowding
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
56948/18
14/11/2018
Aleksandr Vladimirovich GARIN
1984
IK-1 Arkhangelsk Region
05/06/2015, pending as of 16/09/2022
7 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 12 day(s)
84 inmate(s)
1.7 m²
overcrowding, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, mouldy or dirty cell, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to warm water
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
57343/18
19/11/2018
Vladimir Aleksandrovich LEBEDINSKIY
1972
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
01/05/2014, pending as of 16/09/2022
8 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 16 day(s)
120 inmate(s)
1.46 m²
8 toilet(s)
sharing cells with inmates infected with contagious disease, poor quality of food, overcrowding, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to running water
12,500
57384/18
19/11/2018
Eduard Viktorovich POSMITNYY
1967
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
25/01/2010, pending as of 16/09/2022
12 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 23 day(s)
120 inmate(s)
1.7 m²
5 toilet(s)
overcrowding, poor quality of food, lack of fresh air, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
57412/18
23/11/2018
Aleksandr Vasilyevich KARPOV
1976
IK-5 Kirov Region
27/07/2017 to 12/05/2019
1 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 16 day(s)
2.2 m²
no or restricted access to shower, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, inappropriate clothes, poor quality of food, overcrowding in the kitchen, lack of requisite medical assistance
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
6,500
57704/18
02/11/2018
Artem Sergeyevich IGNATOV
1987
OIK-36 IK-5 Krasnoyarsk Region
20/09/2017, pending as of 16/09/2022
4 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 28 day(s)
112 inmate(s)
2.25 m²
2 toilet(s)
overcrowding, narrow passages in the cell, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to shower
12,500
57804/18
15/11/2018
Aleksandr Yuryevich POLYNKIN
1974
IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region
27/07/2015, pending as of 16/09/2022
7 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 21 day(s)
130 inmate(s)
1.4 m²
8 toilet(s)
infestation of cell with insects/rodents, insufficient number of sleeping places, poor quality of food, poor quality of potable water, overcrowding, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of inadequate conditions of detention
12,500
[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.
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