Communicated on 2 October 2019
THIRD SECTION
Application no. 29689/11
Lechi Shaykh-Magomedovich VAKAYEV against Russia
and 4 other applications
(see list appended)
STATEMENT OF FACTS
The applicants complained under Articles 3 and 13 of the Convention that they or their close relatives (the brother of the applicant in case no. 29689/11) had been subjected to ill-treatment by State officials and that the State failed to conduct an effective domestic investigation into those incidents. All of the applicants submitted that their attempts to initiate criminal investigation in connection with the incidents proved futile.
The relevant details regarding the applicants’ allegations and their version of factual circumstances are reflected in the attached appendices. The information regarding the alleged breach of the substantive aspect of Article 3 is contained in Appendix no. 1. The reaction of the domestic authorities to the applicants’ complaints is reflected in Appendix no. 2.
The table of cases:
No.
Application number
Introduction date
Name of the applicants / date of birth
/ place of residence
Represented by
1.
29689/11
31/03/2011
Lechi Shaykh-Magomedovich VAKAYEV
15/03/1975
Malgobeskiy District, Ingushetiya
Israpil Salmanovich BOKOV
2.
5898/13
29/12/2012
Pavel Yuriyevich ALAYEV
25/06/1978
Volgograd
3.
35015/18
10/07/2018
Salima Saitovna MUKHAMEDYANOVA
20/03/1970
Mezhgorye, Republic of Bashkortostan
Svetlana Anatolyevna TOREYEVA
4.
45341/18
20/09/2018
Artem Aleksandrovich RUKHTAYEV
07/12/1983
Petrozavodsk
Leonid Leonidovich KRIKUN
5.
46889/18
15/09/2018
Sergey Vladimirovich GRIGORYEV
16/05/1986
Kazan
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
1. Having regard to the injuries found on the applicants (the applicant’s brother in case no. 29689/11) after the time spent by them in State custody, have the applicants been subjected to torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment, in breach of Article 3 of the Convention (see, among other authorities, Razzakov v. Russia, no. 57519/09, 5 February 2015; Gorshchuk v. Russia, no. 31316/09, 6 October 2015; Turbylev v. Russia, no. 4722/09, 6 October 2015; Fartushin v. Russia, no. 38887/09, 8 October 2015; Aleksandr Andreyev v. Russia, no. 2281/06, 23 February 2016; and Leonid Petrov v. Russia, no. 52783/08, 11 October 2016)?
Have the authorities discharged their burden of proof by providing a plausible or satisfactory and convincing explanation of how the applicants’ injuries were caused (see Selmouni, cited above, § 87, and Salman v. Turkey [GC], no. 21986/93, § 100, ECHR 2000‑VII and Bouyid v. Belgium [GC], no. 23380/09, § 83 and further, ECHR 2015)?
2. Did the authorities carry out an effective investigation, in compliance with the procedural obligation under Article 3 of the Convention (see Lyapin v. Russia, no. 46956/09, §§ 125-40, 24 July 2014), having regard to:
(a) the investigating authorities’ refusals to open criminal cases and investigate the applicants’ allegations of ill-treatment by the State officials, and the overruling of those refusals as unlawful and unsubstantiated by higher investigative authorities or courts, and
(b) the investigating authorities’ inability to implement full investigative measures within the framework of the pre-investigation inquiries, before and/or after amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure introduced by Federal Law no. 23-FZ of 4 March 2013, for example, confrontations, identification parades, searches, and so forth?
3. As regards case no. 29689/11, having regard to the findings of the domestic courts and the amount of monetary compensation awarded, can it be said that the applicant’s brother may still claim to be a victim of the alleged violations within the meaning of Article 34 of the Convention?
No
Application No. and Title
APPENDIX No. 1
Article 3 - Substantive aspect
ARREST
ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT
EVIDENCE
Date
Time
Facts
Region Town
Street
Entity
Date
Time
Location
Alleged Facts
Perpetrator(s)
Date
Doc Type
Authority
Description
of Injuries
1.
29689/11
Vakayev v. Russia
16.06.2001
Chechen Republic/ Kurchaloy village/ 2 Zapadnaya str. (the applicant’s home)
RF Federal military servicemen - unknown persons in military uniform with automatic weapon and on armoured military vehicles
16.06.2001
apprehended at home (2 Zapadnaya str., Kurchaloy village, Chechen Republic) and taken away in the unknown direction
apprehended at home and taken away in unknown direction (to a building where the RF Ministry of Defence military servicemen were located), tortured - pulled out 4 or 5 teeth with pliers, tore away part of nose, crushed cigarettes against his body and a bottle against his head,
then released
RF Federal military servicemen - unknown persons in military uniform with automatic weapon and on armoured military vehicles
(i)
10.07.2001
(ii)
09.08.2001
(iii)
26.12.2008
(iv)
13.01.2009
(v)
06.02.2009
(vi)
01.04.2009
(vii)
no date indicated
(i)
Resolution on victim status
(ii)
certificate no. 875 for presentation while moving for the purposes of treatment outside of Chechen Republic
(iii)
advisory medical certificate
(iv)
Primary out-patient forensic psychiatric expert exam. no. 1
(v)
decision on disability
(vi)
Resolution no. 17, guardianship certificate
(vii)
hospital discharge record no. 741/241
(i)
acting Argunskiy Inter-District Prosecutor of Chechen Republic
(ii)
Head of Kurchaloy ROVD
(iii)-(iv)
Republican psychoneuro-logic and narcologic dispensary
(v)
Malgobekskiy Town Court of Ingushetia
(vi)
Head of administration of Malgobekskiy District of Ingushetia
(vii)
surgery department of Kurchaloy Central Republican Hospital, Chechen Republic
(i)
apprehended in Kurchaloy village on 16.06.2001 and taken away in the unknown direction by unknown persons in military uniform with automatic weapon and on armoured military vehicles, beaten - 4 or 5 teeth pulled out with pliers, part of nose torn away, then released;
(ii)
"... bodily injuries inflicted by the Federal forces in the course of the special-forces raid in Kurchaloy village on 16.06.2001. The Prosecutor’s office of the Chechen Republic investigates a criminal case no. 39039 concerning this fact. The certificate is issued for presentation while moving for the purposes of treatment outside of the Chechen Republic."
(iii) - (iv)
"... [the applicant] suffers from ... paranoid schizophrenia, continuous type of treatment, rough emotional-volitional disorder of personality, cannot understand the meaning of his actions and be in their control."
(v)
reference to the above item (iv) hereof
(vi)
appointment of the applicant’s brother as his guardian
(vii)
moderately severe brain concussion, cut wound of nose and of right frontal region of the face, multiple abrasions of stomach, back and limbs
apprehended at home and taken away in unknown direction (to a building where the RF Ministry of Defence military servicemen were located), tortured and then released
2.
5898/13
Alayev v. Russia
24.08.2010 /
about 9 p.m.
Volgograd / Alekseyev-skaya str., bldg 31, apt 161 (apartment of the applicant and his mother)
police station no. 6 of Volgograd
(i)
24.08.2010 /
10 p.m. - 10.30 p.m.
(ii)
25.08.2010 /
09:30 a.m. - 09:30 p.m.
(iii)
26.08.2010
10.15 a.m. - 05.45 p.m., 06:00 p.m.;
(i)
Volgograd / Alekseyevskaya str., bldg 31,
apt 161 (apartment of the applicant and his mother)
(ii)-(iii)
police station no. 6 of Volgograd
(i)
the policemen unlawfully forced their way to the apartment, Mr Fe. pointed a gun at the applicant and punched him 3 times with a fist in the face and knocked his front tooth out, Mr De. punched the applicant not less than 6 times in the head and face with his hands, and 3 times with his feet in the back, and 3 times hit the applicant’s head against the heating radiator; handcuffed the applicant and dragged him on the floor, searched the apartment, cut the phone wires to prevent the applicant’s mother from using the phone, threatened the applicant with planting of drugs in case of any complaints to anyone, brought the applicant to the police station at 10.30 p.m. on 24.08.2010;
(ii)
demanding the applicant to confess, Mr De. punched him not less than 6 times with a hand in the head and 6 times with a foot in the stomach and chest, no food and water during the day, not allowed to use toilet;
(iii)
Mr De. beat the applicant demanding confession the applicant signed a confession statement but refused from it before the investigator, Mr De. beat the applicant again and threated to use electro-current on him
(i)
policemen of Volgograd police station no. 6 - Mr De. and Mr Fe., a civilian Mr Av.
(ii)-(iii)
Mr De.
(i)
28.08.2010
(ii)
28.03.2012
(iii)
13.01.2012
(i)
record book of medical examination of those admitted to IVS Volgograd
(ii)
testimony of Ms Al. (the applicant’s mother)
(iii)
certificate of magnetic resonance imaging
(i)
IVS Volgograd
(ii)
testimony given in the Investigative department of the Sovetskiy Region, Volgograd
(iii)
radiodiagnosis department of the Volgograd Region Cardiology Centre
(i)
muscle spasms, memory loss
(ii)
coincides with the applicant’s testimony
(iii)
confirmed in the sentence of Fe.
3.
35015/18
Mukhamedya-nova v. Russia
26-27.01.2018 / according to the applicant from about midnight till 9 a.m.
Chelyabinsk Region / Magnito-gorsk / ill-treatment at home, on the way to the police station and in the latter, rape in the police station
Magnitogorsk Department of the Ministry of Internal Affaires
26-27.01.2018 / from about midnight till 9 a.m.
Leninskiy police station in Magnitogorsk
pushes and kicks to various parts of the body, dragging to the van, 10 min. barefoot on the snow, beating and threats, rape
police officers of the Leninskiy police station - Mr Si., Mr Mi.
29.01.2016
expert examination no. 80
State Forensic Bureau of the Bashkortostan Republic
bruises of icteric discoloration on the upper third of the right shoulder 3x3cm, middle third of the right shoulder 2x2cm, lower third of the right shoulder 3x9cm, upper third of the left forearm 5x7cm, right blade 2x2cm, right iliac region 4x11cm, left lumbar region 5x7cm, upper third of the right hip 4x10cm, upper third of the left hip 4x8cm, left popliteal region 4x9cm;
possibly inflicted by blunt hard objects, did not cause brief impairment of health, constitute an injury that did not cause health impairment
apprehended at home shortly after her return from the preceding administrative apprehension (both times for disorderly conduct in the state of alcoholic intoxication), transferred to the Leninskiy police station, released in the morning
05.02.2016
Expert examination no. 32, 33 "A" (not submitted, mentioned in the Ruling of 31.05.2016 on termination of the proceedings)
bruises of right occipital region of head, right side of the posterior surface of the chest, two bruises on the right shoulder, a bruise on the forearm, on the right side of the stomach, on the right and left hips, on the left lower thigh;
possibly inflicted by blunt hard objects, did not cause brief impairment of health, constitute an injury that did not cause health impairment
28.04.2017
Forensic medical expert examination no. 108 (not submitted, referred to in the ruling of 04.12.17 on the applicant’s Art.125 complaint)
the established injuries could have been inflicted in the circumstances testified by the applicant or those testified by other persons
4.
45341/18
Rukhtayev v. Russia
(1) 19.12.2016 / 08.00 - 09.00 a.m.
(2) 19.12.2016 /
05.00 - 06.00 p.m.
(3) 20.12.2016 /
08.00 - 10.00 a.m.
LIU-4 Republic of Karelia
(1)
two warders were holding the applicant’s arms and twisting his left arm, while the other two were forcing the applicant down into a split (rus. шпагат), dropped him on the floor (the applicant hit his knee), a warder sat on the applicant’s legs and hit his feet and heels with the hand hammer (rus. киянка), covered the applicant’s face with a hat with ear-flaps for his temporary suffocation, pressed the pain points behind the applicant’s ears (the applicant could not eat and his left arm and knee hurt for several days afterwards), in the course of the described ill-treatment Gu. would repeat that the applicant was tortured for his complaints and would be tortured regularly if continued to complain;
(2)
two warders pressed the applicant’s hands to the wall, while the other warders forced him down into a split, dropped the applicant on the floor and hit his feet and heels with a hand hammer; in the course of described ill-treatment Mo. would repeat that the applicant was tortured for his complaints (including those to the medical staff) and the torture would be resumed and be more cruel if he continued to complain;
(3)
forced by the warders into a split (see the above description)
(1) head of LIU-4 security service Mr Gu., 4 warders
(2) head of LIU-4 operations unit Mo., not less than 4 warders
(3) head of LIU-4 operations unit Mo., not less than 4 warders
(1)
20-21, 23, 27-28.12.2016
(1)-(2)
the applicant’s medical history record in
LIU-4
(1) phthisiatrician
(1)
Entry of 20.12.2016: "Complaints about pain in the right knee, the body aches ... Locally: not large hyperaemia on the right knee... Also complains about pain in the heel, cannot step on it ... No visual swelling or hyperaemia on the right foot ..."
Entry of 21.12.2016: "Complaints about pain in the foot persist ..."
Entry of 23.12.2016:
"No active complaints ... No swelling ..."
Entry of 27.12.2016: "Complains about pain in the knee-joint ... No swelling ..."
Entry of 28.12.2016:
"No complaints ... No swelling ..."
(2) 27.12.2016
(2) neurologist
(2)
"Complains about pain in the knee-joint. Prior injury. Objectively: no visual pathology of the joint, pain on bending. Diagnosis: arthrosis of the knee-joint."
(3) 23.03.2017 (not submitted; referred to in the decisions of 03.04.2017 and 23.06.2017 refusing institution of criminal proceedings)
(3)
forensic medical expert examination no. 167/MD
(3)
unspecified
(3) no bodily injury
5.
46889/18
Grigoryev v. Russia
10.04.2017 /
2.20 p.m.
Republic of Tatarstan / Kazan / 102a Tukay street
Department for the Fight against Organised Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazan, the Republic of Tatarstan at 3a Karl Fuks street, bldg no. 2
10-11.04.2017 /
7:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Department for the Fight against Organised Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazan, the Republic of Tatarstan at 3a Karl Fuks street, bldg no. 2
handcuffed with his hands behind his back with a hat put around his head/face stood for 6-7 hours near a wall without a possibility to sit or to use a toilet, during which time Dmitry M. and Dmitry I. would approach him asking to confess, after 7:30 p.m. put on his knees and placed a polyethylene bag around his head (the bag was replaced 2-3 times as the applicant gnawed it with his teeth to avoid suffocation), then put on his hunkers and electrocuted with a hand-made current device through iron terminals (rus. железные клеммы) placed to his legs and clunis
three officers of the Department for the Fight against Organised Crime, its deputy head Dmitry M., special investigative officer Dmitry I.
(1)
11.04.2017
about 3 a.m.
(2)
11.04.2017
4 p.m.
(3)
03.03.2018 (not submitted but referred to in the decisions. refusing to institute criminal proceedings)
(4)
12-16.07.2018
(not submitted but referred to in the decisions of 18.07.2018 refusing to institute criminal proceedings)
(1)-(2)
medical certificate
(3)
forensic med. expert exam no. 1417/1099
(4)
additional forensic medical expert examination no. 4977/3851
(1)-(2)
State Autonomous Public Healthcare Institution Municipal Polyclinic no. 7 Traumatology Station
(3)-(4)
unspecified
(1)
"Healthy"
(the policeman present during the exam, the applicant did not complain on account of threats)
(2)
"injuries of the knee-joints on both sides"
(Mr Dmitriy I. present during the exam; according to the applicant’s testimony stated in the decision of 09.03.2018 the doctor repeated after I. that the injuries had been inflicted 48h earlier in the result of the applicant’s falling down on 09.04.2017)
(3)
no bodily injury revealed during the exam in polyclinic no. 7 at 1:50 a.m. on 11.04.2017 and at 5:50 p.m. on 12.04.2017; but at 5:55 p.m. on 11.04.2017 the applicant was "diagnosed ... with "injuries of the knee-joints on both sides" which was not confirmed by objective clinical evidence, no bruise or hematoma revealed in this region, impossible to unambiguously comment on the traumatic nature of these injuries and to identify the essential nature ... and the severity level of the health damage."
(4)
the same as above in item (3); the applicant’s exam on 12.07.2018 revealed two depigmentation skin areas of his left knee-joint, flexion contracture of the little finger of the right hand, scars (in the result of wound healing) of the proximal phalanx of the little finger of the right hand and the dorslim of the proximal phalanx of the ring finger of the right hand of more than 1,5 years old; two abrasions of the frontal surface of the lower third of the right lower leg
No
Application No. and Title
APPENDIX No. 2
Article 3 - Procedural aspect
DOMESTIC COMPLAINT AND THE GOVERNMENT REACTION
Date of
Complaint
Authority
Type of
Reaction
Date(s)
Procedural Outcome
1.
29689/11
Vakayev v. Russia
(i)
09.07.2001
(ii)
unclear
(i)
Prosecutor’s office of Chechen Republic
(ii)
national courts
Criminal Investigation
(i)
initiated on 09.07.2001, joined with another case on 26.08.2001, suspended on 09.12.2001, resumed on 17.03.2003, suspended on 17.04.2003, resumed on 23.08.2004, suspended on 25.10.2004
(ii)
the action dismissed on 31.05.2010 by the Malgobekskiy Town Court of Ingushetia, revoked on 26.08.2010 by the Supreme Court of Ingushetia with delivery of a new decision on partial satisfaction (awarded RUB 250,000 in non-pecuniary damage), upheld on 14.10.2010 by the Supreme Court
(i)
no Art. 125 complaint
(ii)
an action in the applicant’s interests against RF Ministry of Defence and RF Treasury/RF Ministry of Finance for recovery of pecuniary damage and compensation of non-pecuniary damage (case no. 2‑256); the Supreme Court acknowledged that the injuries were inflicted by the RF Federal military servicemen and awarded RUB 250,000 in non-pecuniary damage
2.
5898/13
Alayev v. Russia
(i)
15.09.2010
(ii)
24.11.2010
(iii)
05.08.2011
(i)
Investigative Committee of Sovetskiy District of Volgograd
(ii)
acting Head of the Investigative Committee of the Sovetskiy District of Volgograd
(iii)
Prosecutor’s office of the Sovetskiy District of Volgograd
(i)
refused on 27.09.2010, quashed on 15.09.2011, refused on 25.09.2011, quashed on 17.10.2011, refused on 21.11.2011, quashed on 13.02.2012, refused on 24.02.2012, refused on 29.03.2012, quashed on 28.04.2012, refused on 04.05.2012
(ii)
an investigator reported about establishment of the elements of crime; on 29.08.2011 the head of the Investigative Committee refused to inform the applicant about the outcome; the applicant’s representative complained to various authorities about the refusal
(iii)
the applicant’s representative complained about ill-treatment and asked for inspection and prosecution; on 15.08.2011 the complaint was transferred to the Investigative Committee of the Sovetskiy District of Volgograd; on 24.08.2011 the head of the Investigative Committee refused to carry out a procedural inspection
(i)
Art. 125 complaint of 08.02.2012 about the refusal of 21.11.2011: discontinued on 17.02.2012 on account of quashing of the refusal.
Art. 125 complaint of 16.03.2012 about the refusal of 24.02.2012: dismissed on 29.03.2012 by the Sovetskiy District Court of Volgograd
Art. 125 complaint of 27.04.2012 against the refusal of 29.03.2012: discontinued by the Sovetskiy District Court of Volgograd on account of quashing of the refusal.
Art. 125 complaint of 03.05.2012 against the resolution of 28.04.2012 on quashing and the preceding similar resolutions where each was delivered after initiation of Art. 125 proc. to avoid court’s involvement: dismissed on 11.05.2012 by the District Court.
Art. 125 complaint of 27.04.2012 dismissed by the District Court on 05.05.2012.
Art. 125 complaint of 12.05.2012 about inaction of the Head of the investigative committee who repeatedly quashed the refusals after initiation of Art. 125 procedural: dismissed on 18.05.2012 by the District Court.
Art. 125 complaint of 22.08.2012 against the inaction of the deputy head of the Investigative Committee of the Volgograd Region: left without consideration on 27.08.2012, upheld on 18.10.2012 by the Volgograd Regional Court
Art. 125 complaint of 22.08.2012 about the refusal of 04.05.2012: dismissed on 05.09.2012 by the District Court, upheld on 22.10.2012 by the Regional Court
Art. 125 complaint about inaction of the investigator Ms Iv. dismissed by the 19.11.2012 by the District Court, upheld on 11.01.2013 by the Regional Court
3.
35015/18
Mukhamedyanova v. Russia
(i) 28.01.2016
(ii)
29.01.2016
(iii)
11.02.2016
(iv)
28.03.2016, 26.05.2016
(i) Magnitogorsk Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs (v. the police officer for attempted rape and threats)
(ii)
Abzelilovskiy District Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs, Bashkortostan Republic (v. the police officer for bodily injury)
(iii)
Prosecutor’s Office of the Leninskiy District of Magnitogorsk (v. police officers for unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment and rape, failure to investigate)
(iv)
Leninskiy Interdistrict Investigative Department of Investigative Directorate of Investigative Committee in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Region (for additional inquiry into her undocumented transfer to and confinement in the police station, ill-treatment, rape)
01.02.2016
Leninskiy Interdistrict Investigative Department of Investigative Directorate of Investigative Committee in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Region (v. the police officer who beat and raped the applicant)
Refused, then granted
refused on 02.03.2016 / quashed on 09.03.2016 /opened criminal procedure on 07.04.2016 / terminated on 31.05.2016 / quashed on 23.08.2016 / re-opened on 03.10.2016 / terminated on 28.07.2017
Art.125 complaint granted in the first instance on 04.12.17 but dismissed on appeal by the Chelyabinsk Regional Court on 05.02.18;
on 01.08.2016 the applicant was charged with deliberate false denunciation
4.
45341/18
Rukhtayev v. Russia
(1) 29.12.2016
(2)
19.01.2017 (date of receipt)
(1)
Karelian Prosecutor’s office of supervision over observance of laws in correctional facilities
(2)
Segezha Investigative Department of the Investigative Division of the RF Investigative Committee of the Republic of Karelia
Consistently refused
(1)
23.01.2017 no violation; the complaint transferred to the Segezha Investigative Department
(2)
refused on 22.02.2017 / quashed on 27.02.2017 / refused on 03.04.2017 / quashed on 25.04.2017 / refused on 23.06.2017
Art. 125 complaint against the refusal of 23.06.2017 dismissed by the Segezha Town Court of the Republic of Karelia on 12.04.2018, upheld by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Karelia on 18.06.2018
5.
46889/18
Grigoryev v. Russia
26.01.2018 (as to the decisions refusing to institute criminal proceedings, the complaint was registered on 01.03.2018)
Head of the Vakhitovskiy Region Investigative Department of Kazan
Consistently refused
refused on 09.03.2018/ quashed on 20.06.2018 / refused on 18.07.2018
no criminal investigation,
no Art. 125 complaint;
but raised the ill-treatment issue in the main criminal proceedings (thoroughly examined and dismissed by both instances);
convicted by the Vakhitovskiy District Court of Kazan on 25.12.2017, upheld by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tatarstan on 16.03.2018
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