THIRD SECTION
\nCASE OF SAFIN v. RUSSIA
\n(Applications nos. 35877\/17 and 2 others – see appended list)
\nJUDGMENT
\nSTRASBOURG
\n26 November 2020<\/p>\n
This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.<\/p>\n
In the case of Safin v. Russia,<\/strong><\/p>\n The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:<\/p>\n Darian Pavli, President, Having deliberated in private on 5 November 2020,<\/p>\n Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:<\/p>\n PROCEDURE<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. The case originated in applications against Russia lodged with the Court under Article\u00a034 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (\u201cthe Convention\u201d) on the various dates indicated in the appended table by one applicant, Mr Murad Dilshatovich Safin (see appended table).<\/p>\n 2. The applicant was represented by Ms Olga Vladimirovna Druzhkova, a lawyer practising in Moscow.<\/p>\n 3. The Russian Government (\u201cthe\u00a0Government\u201d) were given notice of the applications.<\/p>\n THE FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n 4. The list of the applications with the relevant details is set out in the appended table.<\/p>\n 5. The applicant complained of the excessive length of his pre-trial detention and of the excessive length of judicial review of his detention.<\/p>\n THE LAW<\/strong><\/p>\n I. JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS<\/p>\n 6. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications and the fact that they were brought by one and the same applicant, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.<\/p>\n II. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 5\u00a0\u00a7\u00a03 OF THE CONVENTION<\/p>\n 7. The applicant complained principally that his pre-trial detention had been unreasonably long. He relied on Article 5\u00a0\u00a7\u00a03 of the Convention, which reads as follows:<\/p>\n Article 5\u00a0\u00a7\u00a03<\/p>\n \u201c3. Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph\u00a01\u00a0(c) of this Article shall be … entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by guarantees to appear for trial.\u201d<\/p>\n 8. The Court observes that the general principles regarding the right to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial, as guaranteed by Article\u00a05 \u00a7\u00a03 of the Convention, have been stated in a number of its previous judgments (see, among many other authorities, Kud\u0142a v.\u00a0Poland [GC], no.\u00a030210\/96, \u00a7 110, ECHR 2000\u2011XI, and McKay v. the United Kingdom [GC], no. 543\/03, \u00a7\u00a7 41-44, ECHR 2006\u2011X, with further references).<\/p>\n 9. In the leading case of Dirdizov v. Russia, no. 41461\/10, 27\u00a0November 2012, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.<\/p>\n 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 this complaint. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the length of the applicant\u2019s pre-trial detention was excessive.<\/p>\n 11. This complaint is therefore admissible and discloses a breach of Article\u00a05 \u00a7\u00a03 of the Convention.<\/p>\n III. OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW<\/p>\n 12. In applications nos.\u00a082763\/17 and 33633\/18, the applicant complained about the excessive length of the review of the detention orders in violation of the requirements of Article 5 \u00a7\u00a04 of 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 \u00a7\u00a03\u00a0(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 disclose violations of Article\u00a05 \u00a7\u00a04 of the Convention in the light of its findings in Idalov v.\u00a0Russia [GC], no.\u00a05826\/03, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0154-164, 22\u00a0May 2012, Khodorkovskiy v.\u00a0Russia, no.\u00a05829\/04, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0219-248, 31\u00a0May 2011, and Lebedev v. Russia, no.\u00a04493\/04, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a075-115, 25\u00a0October 2007.<\/p>\n IV. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION<\/p>\n 13. Article 41 of the Convention provides:<\/p>\n \u201cIf the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to the injured party.\u201d<\/p>\n 14. The applicant claimed compensation for non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses he incurred. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case\u2011law (see, in particular, Pastukhov and Yelagin v.\u00a0Russia, no.\u00a055299\/07, 19\u00a0December 2013), the Court considers that the claims made by the applicant are excessive and it is reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table. It dismisses the remainder of the claims.<\/p>\n 15. The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest rate should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank, to which should be added three percentage points.<\/p>\n FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY,<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Decides to join the applications;<\/p>\n 2. Declares the applications admissible;<\/p>\n 3. Holds that there has been a violation of Article\u00a05\u00a0\u00a7\u00a03 of the Convention concerning the excessive length of pre-trial detention;<\/p>\n 4. Holds that there has been a violation of Article\u00a05\u00a0\u00a7\u00a04 of the Convention as regards the other complaints under the well-established case-law (see appended table);<\/p>\n 5. Holds<\/p>\n (a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicant, within three\u00a0months, 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;<\/p>\n (b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three\u00a0months 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 period plus three percentage points;<\/p>\n 6. Dismisses the remainder of the applicant\u2019s claims for just satisfaction.<\/p>\n Done in English, and notified in writing on 26 November 2020, pursuant to Rule\u00a077\u00a0\u00a7\u00a7\u00a02 and\u00a03 of the Rules of Court.<\/p>\n Liv Tigerstedt \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Darian Pavli <\/p>\n APPENDIX<\/strong>
\nDmitry Dedov,
\nPeeter Roosma, judges,
\nand Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,<\/p>\n
\nActing Deputy Registrar \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0President<\/p>\n
\nList of applications raising complaints under Article 5 \u00a7 3 of the Convention
\n(excessive length of pre-trial detention)<\/p>\n