CEDH · CASELAW;JUDGMENTS;CHAMBER;ENG — 10 janvier 2012

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s598389FB { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; font-size:14pt } .sF5E1C6CF { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline; color:#ff0000 } .s6CCEAD68 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; color:#ff0000 } .s491F5244 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; color:#ff0000 } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s4ACA9207 { page-break-before:always; clear:both; mso-break-type:section-break } .s10950C61 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sB9D5CABB { width:28.35pt; display:inline-block } .sEC177689 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:36pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s967D43C6 { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .s87F05BA2 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sC443675D { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:30pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .sD2857263 { margin-top:30pt; margin-left:17.85pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.85pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s401C450A { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s7EE1C8F0 { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s11869A80 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s6B505E72 { margin:0pt; padding-left:0pt } .sFC7EDB5B { margin-left:14.2pt; text-indent:21.3pt; text-align:justify; font-family:serif; font-size:10pt; list-style-position:inside } .s6CB58F88 { width:8.4pt; font:7pt 'Times New Roman'; display:inline-block } .s4B4B41EE { font-family:Arial; font-size:12pt } .s6477A72F { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s9D48DD53 { margin-top:6pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .s6E0F97D0 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s1BF00E92 { margin-left:21.05pt; border:0.75pt solid #000000; border-collapse:collapse } .s41E9DBF5 { border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sB72E3268 { margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s24AC208E { border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sF004B676 { border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sC3AB69A { border-style:solid; border-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s2342A031 { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sB30C44B0 { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s546C9D04 { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sDA744FB0 { margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; font-size:10pt } .s40B7A780 { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s4F2EDFF { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s984A15CA { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s95F1DE7F { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sEC2CB098 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sB1BD30C0 { margin-top:6pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:24pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .s57221CB1 { margin-top:24pt; margin-left:17.85pt; margin-bottom:30pt; text-indent:-17.85pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s3C0142D3 { margin-top:30pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s9BAE5781 { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:11.6pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s1A4547F4 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:12pt; text-align:justify } .s27129D8D { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:12pt; text-align:justify } .s68242B2B { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:12pt; text-align:justify } .s507703F { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sE3D66594 { border:0.75pt solid #000000; border-collapse:collapse } .s8863D9A4 { margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:2pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .sC1009293 { margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:2pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s6DCE261A { font-family:Arial; font-size:6.67pt; font-weight:bold; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .sAF3A762 { margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:2pt; text-align:right; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .sAF04BED7 { margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:2pt; font-size:10pt } .sC1C65B6E { margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:2pt; text-align:right; font-size:10pt } .sE7C30868 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s40E9DAE9 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s281358E1 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .s988F61DE { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .s3E2DB4A0 { margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s710BC4A3 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:28.35pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:21.3pt; text-align:justify; font-family:serif; font-size:10pt; list-style-position:inside } .sDC07F891 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:28.35pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .sE933ECD6 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-align:justify; font-size:8pt } .s88A4DB4E { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:middle } .s38949A25 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; font-size:8pt } .sDD8F0D07 { border-style:solid; border-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:middle } .s50597860 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:8pt } .s6A269875 { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:middle } .s11BEB50D { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:middle } .sEAD70FA9 { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-right-style:solid; border-right-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:middle } .s241BF43A { border-top-style:solid; border-top-width:0.75pt; border-left-style:solid; border-left-width:0.75pt; padding-right:5.03pt; padding-left:5.03pt; vertical-align:middle } .s8A9F351B { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:24pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .sCD71EA34 { margin-top:24pt; margin-left:17.85pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.85pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sA1CDB767 { margin-top:6pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .sFD4D42B6 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .s1913A4C6 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s1B0D0B53 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .sA6C752FC { width:3.45pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s93EDF1FF { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:17.85pt; margin-bottom:30pt; text-indent:-17.85pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s197FB613 { margin-top:6pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .s21F08A35 { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:36.6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-15.05pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sD5DF731 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sC702907E { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:36.6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-15.05pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s4B8D41EE { font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt } .s8F4EE4B8 { margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s9F223FEE { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:17.85pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.85pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s3838A079 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-align:justify } .sB90861A5 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; letter-spacing:-0.1pt } .s684F2214 { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:24pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s25BD2B45 { margin-top:24pt; margin-left:36.6pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-15.05pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sC31874BD { margin-top:24pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:24pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sB6F98828 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:36.6pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:-15.05pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s360DA689 { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:48.75pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-17pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s8378218E { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:48.75pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-17pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .sCA71A5BA { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:59.5pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-17.85pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s8E011338 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s56E27C8 { margin-top:6pt; margin-left:21.25pt; margin-bottom:24pt; text-indent:7.1pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:10pt } .s804EF768 { margin-top:24pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sFFD057F { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:14.2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s8B6082D6 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:39.55pt; margin-bottom:6pt; text-indent:-18pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-family:Arial; font-style:italic; list-style-position:inside } .sAB173E38 { margin-top:12pt; margin-left:17pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-17pt; text-align:justify } .s127C7598 { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:17pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-17pt; text-align:justify } .sD66C1369 { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:17.3pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s60723A49 { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:39.7pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s81CCF55C { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:17pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17pt; text-align:justify } .s48DB3670 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:36pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s31E56244 { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:12pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s507451D6 { width:4.53pt; display:inline-block } .s299839C6 { width:212.77pt; display:inline-block } .s7602FED2 { width:18.21pt; display:inline-block } .sC1AC44A4 { width:228.11pt; display:inline-block } .s2840CEAF { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both } .s5752D6FA { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-variant:small-caps } .s5186239C { margin-left:15.01pt; padding-left:11.99pt; font-family:Arial } .sFBC99493 { font-style:italic } .s8D34A216 { margin-left:15.01pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; padding-left:11.99pt; font-family:Arial } .s2106EFBE { margin-left:21.68pt; padding-left:5.32pt; font-family:Arial } .s43C3FCD4 { margin-left:21.68pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; padding-left:5.32pt; font-family:Arial } .sB07D8CFE { margin-left:21.68pt; text-align:justify; padding-left:5.32pt; font-family:Arial } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s85226119 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt } .sC36A6361 { font-family:Arial; color:#000000 }       FIRST SECTION             CASE OF ANANYEV and OTHERS v.   RUSSIA   (Applications nos. 42525/07 and 60800/08)       JUDGMENT           STRASBOURG     10 January 2012     FINAL   10/04/2012   This judgment has become final under Article 44 § 2 of the Convention. It may be subject to editorial revision. In the case of Ananyev and Others v.   Russia, The European Court of Human Rights (First Section), sitting as a Chamber composed of:   Nina Vajić, President,   Anatoly Kovler,   Peer Lorenzen,   Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska,   Julia Laffranque,   Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos,   Erik Møse, judges, and Søren Nielsen, Section Registrar , Having deliberated in private on 6 December 2011, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE 1.     The case originated in two applications against the Russian Federation lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by three Russian nationals, Mr Sergey Mikhaylovich Ananyev (no. 42525/07) and Mr   Gennadiy Gennadyevich Bashirov and Ms Gulnara Sayfullayevna Bashirova (no. 60800/08) (“the applicants”), on 14 September 2007 and 10   November 2008, respectively. 2.     The applicant Mr Ananyev was represented by Ms   O.   Preobrazhenskaya, a legal specialist resident in Strasbourg. The applicants Mr Bashirov and Ms   Bashirova were represented by Mr   A.   Anokhin, a lawyer practising in Astrakhan. 3.     The Russian Government (“the Government”) were represented by Mr G.   Matyushkin, the Representative of the Russian Federation at the European Court of Human Rights. 4.     The applicants alleged, in particular, that they had been detained in inhuman and degrading conditions and that they had not had effective domestic remedies at their disposal. 5.     On 14 May 2009 the Court decided to communicate the applicants’ complaints to the Government, raising specific additional questions about the structural nature of the underlying problems. The Court also decided to grant the cases priority under Rule 41 and to inform the parties that it was considering the suitability of applying a pilot-judgment procedure (see Broniowski v. Poland [GC], 31443/96, §§ 189-194 and the operative part, ECHR 2004-V, and Hutten-Czapska v. Poland [GC] no. 35014/97, ECHR 2006-..., §§ 231-239 and the operative part). 6.     The applicants and the Government each filed observations on the admissibility and merits (Rule 59 §   1). THE FACTS I.     THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE 7.     All three applicants were remanded in custody pending trial and were held in various Russian remand prisons. Their individual circumstances are detailed below. A.     The case of Mr Ananyev 8.     On 27 December 2006 the Presidium of the Smolensk Regional Court quashed the appellate judgment in Mr Ananyev’s criminal case and remitted the matter for a new hearing. On 20 January 2007 he was taken from the correctional colony to remand prison IZ-67/1 of Smolensk, where he stayed until 23 March 2007. 9.     Mr Ananyev was held in cell 170 until 21 March 2007 and then in cell 153. Cell 170 measured 15 square metres and cell 153 – 10 square metres. They were equipped with 13 and 4 sleeping places, respectively. 10.     Cell 170 accommodated 12 detainees for two weeks in January and February 2007; in the remaining period of Mr Ananyev’s detention the cell population varied from 15 to 21 persons. Cell 153 housed Mr Ananyev and one other inmate. 11.     The Government submitted certificates issued on 25 June 2009 by the governor of the remand prison that listed floor surface areas and cell population, and twelve pages from the prison population register of prison IZ-67/1 relating to various dates between 20 January and 23 March 2007, as well as photographs of cells 153 and 170. 12.     Mr Ananyev produced written statements from his former co-detainees, Mr S. and Mr B., both dated 27 June 2009, from which it appears that between January and April 2007 cell 170 had accommodated up to 24 persons. 13.     On 19 March 2007 Mr Ananyev sent complaints about unbearable conditions of his detention to the Prosecutor General, the Smolensk town prosecutor and to the Director of the Smolensk penitentiary facilities. On 4   May 2007 the Smolensk town prosecutor informed Mr Ananyev that he had checked his complaints and that the acting governor of prison IZ-67/1 had been instructed to remedy the violations of the Suspects and Defendants Detention Act. B.     The case of Mr Bashirov and Ms Bashirova 14.     Mr and Ms Bashirov were taken into custody on 29 April 2005. Ms   Bashirova was released on bail on 17 May 2005 and Mr Bashirov was transferred to remand prison IZ-30/1 of Astrakhan. On 11 March 2008 they were both found guilty of drug-related offences and sentenced to eight and a half years’ and six years’ imprisonment, respectively. Ms Bashirova was re-detained on the same day. On 15 May 2008 the Astrakhan Regional Court upheld the conviction at last instance. 15.     In prison IZ-30/1, Mr Bashirov stayed in cell 83 (from 3 May to 1   July 2005 and from 27 December 2007 to 22 April 2008), cell 69 (from 1   July 2005 to 11 January 2006 and from 9   August to 30 October 2006), cell   35 (from 11 January to 9 August 2006), cell 79 (from 30 October to 18   December 2007), and cell 15 (from 22 April to 21 May 2008). From 18 to 27   December 2007 Mr Bashirov underwent treatment in a prison hospital. 16.     In the same prison Ms Bashirova stayed in cell 52 (from 3 to 17   May 2005), cell 40 (from 11 to 15 March 2008) and cell 45 (from 15 March to 7   June 2008). 17.     Mr Bashirov’s cells presented the following characteristics:       cell 15: 23 square metres and 10 sleeping places;       cell 35: 25 square metres and 10 sleeping places;       cells 69 and 83: 24 square metres and 12 sleeping places;       cell 79: 25 square metres and 12 sleeping places. 18.     Ms Bashirova’s cells had the following measurements:       cell 52: 24 square metres and 10 sleeping places;       cell 50: 22 square metres and 10 sleeping places;       cell 45: 19 square metres and 6 sleeping places. 19.     The parties disagreed on the number of detainees. The Government submitted that the number of detainees “had not exceeded the number of sleeping places”. They relied on a certificate issued by the prison governor on 29 June 2009. The applicants gave the following cell population figures: cell 15 – 15 persons, cell 69 – 22 persons, cells 35, 50 and 83 – 14 persons, cell 79 – 20 persons, cell 52 – 30 persons on average but up to 40 persons on certain days, cell 45 – 9 persons. 20.     The applicants submitted extracts from annual reports by the Ombudsman of the Astrakhan Region. The 2005 Report criticised the conditions of detention in the Astrakhan prisons: “According to the data of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Astrakhan Region, the situation in the regional remand prisons deteriorated in 2005 and elementary rights of detainees were not respected. The number of suspects and defendants significantly increased in both remand prisons; at the end of the year their number was twice the norm. Thus, prison no.   [IZ-30/]1 in the city of Astrakhan has the maximum capacity of 642 detainees; during the year it accommodated on average 1,031 persons (in 2004 – 750 persons) and at the end of the year 1,300 persons. The situation in prison no.   [IZ-30/]2 in the town of Narimanov is similar... For that reason, cells in the remand prisons have constantly been overcrowded; whereas the sanitary norm is four square metres per person, the actual space was approximately two square metres. Detainees suffered from a shortage of sleeping places and were forced to take turns to sleep.” 21.     The 2006 Report showed that the situation had hardly improved: “Unfortunately, it must be stated that there have been no noticeable changes for the better in 2006. Thus, a warning sent on 25 September 2006 by the Astrakhan Regional prosecutor’s office to the director of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Astrakhan Region indicated that the conditions of detention in prisons no.   1 (Astrakhan) and no.   2 (Narimanov) ‘did not meet the hygienic, sanitary or fire-safety requirements’... The situation has further been aggravated by an extreme decrepitude of the buildings (especially in the case of prison no.   1 built in 1822) and a significant exceeding of the design capacity. The three-year trend of overcrowding is a reflection of a worsening situation and the figures clearly show this: Remand prison Maximum capacity (persons) Actual prison population at the end of the year 2004 2005 2006 IZ-30/1 642 750 1,300 1,518 IZ-30/2 267 321 588 700 22.     The 2007 Report acknowledged that the problem of overcrowding had remained “grave” and that prison IZ-30/1 actually accommodated 879 inmates. 23.     The 2008 Report criticised the officially accepted limits: “The officially recognised maximum capacity of remand prisons which is considered acceptable raises questions. It is considered that the capacity of prison IZ-30/1 is 651 persons. Yet the global living surface of all cells is 2,232.4 square metres. A simple division of this number by 4 sq. m (the legal sanitary norm of cell space per detainee) gives us the maximum prison capacity of 558 persons. However, on 31   January 2008 the actual number of detainees in prison no.   1 was 689.” 24.     The applicant Mr Bashirov also produced a copy of a letter which the Astrakhan Regional prosecutor’s office had sent to his counsel on 28   February 2008 in response to a complaint about the conditions of detention raised by another detainee. The letter stated as follows: “On 29 February [ sic ] 2008 a deputy district prosecutor and deputy heads of prison no.   1 in charge of logistics, the detention regime and the medical unit carried out a comprehensive technical examination of cell 79. At the time of the examination, cell   79 had twelve sleeping places but housed fifteen persons. The above-mentioned examination of cell 79 also established that similar violations had occurred in a majority of cells of the prison. In connection with the overcrowding, dilapidated state of the building and other violations of the Pre-trial Detention Act, the district prosecutor’s office sent two warnings to the director of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Astrakhan Region already in the first quarter of 2008...” II.     RELEVANT DOMESTIC LAW AND PRACTICE A.     Constitution of the Russian Federation 25.     Personal dignity is protected by the State and may not be undermined for any reason (Article 21 §   1). No one may be subject to torture, violence or any other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 21 §   2). B.     Pre-trial Detention Act (Federal Law no.   103 ‑ FZ of 15 July 1995) 26 .     Detention on remand must be based on the principles of lawfulness, fairness, presumption of innocence, equality before the law, humanism, respect for human dignity and must be carried out in accordance with the Russian Constitution, international legal principles and norms and international treaties, to which Russia is a party, and must not involve torture or other actions that purport to cause physical or moral suffering to the suspect or defendant (section 4). 27.     Detention on remand may be effected in (a) remand prisons of the penitentiary system (следственные изоляторы), (b) temporary detention wards of the police (изоляторы временного содержания), and (c) temporary detention wards of the border service (section 7). 28 .     Detainees have, in particular, the right:       to ask the prison governor for an appointment and to ask the same of the prison supervisors during their visit to the prison (section 17 §   3);       to send suggestions, applications and complaints to authorities, including courts, concerning the lawfulness of their detention and violations of their lawful rights and interests (section 17 §   7);       to receive free food, daily necessities and medical assistance, including during the time when they take part in investigative acts or court hearings (section 17 §   9);       to have an eight-hour uninterrupted sleep at night time and a one-hour period of daily exercise (section 17 §§   10 and 11). 29.     Detainees should be kept in conditions which satisfy health and hygiene requirements. They should be provided with an individual sleeping place and given bedding, tableware and toiletries. All inmates should have at their disposal in their cell no less than four square metres of personal space (section 23). 30.     The Prosecutor General and subordinate prosecutors must supervise the application of legal norms in remand prisons. Prison authorities must comply with the instructions of the supervising prosecutor in so far as they concern the detention rules as established in this Act (section 51). C.     Ombudsman Act (Federal Law no. 1-FKZ of 26 February 1997) 31.     The Ombudsman may receive complaints concerning the actions by federal and municipal State bodies or employees, provided that the complainant has previously lodged a judicial or administrative appeal in this connection (section 16 § 1). 32 .     Having examined the complaint, the Ombudsman may apply to a court or prosecutor for the protection of the rights and freedoms which have been breached by an unlawful action or inaction of a State official or petition the competent authorities for institution of disciplinary, administrative or criminal proceedings against the State official who has committed such a breach (section 29   § 1). 33 .     The Ombudsman prepares a summary of individual complaints and he or she may submit to State and municipal authorities recommendations of a general nature on the ways to improve the protection of individual rights and freedoms or suggest legislative amendments to the lawmakers (section 31). D.     Prosecutors Act (Federal Law no.   2202-1 of 17 January 1992) 34.     The list of prosecutors’ official powers includes the rights to enter premises, to receive and study materials and documents, to summon officials and private individuals for questioning, to examine and review complaints and petitions containing information on alleged violations of individual rights and freedoms, to explain the avenues of protection for those rights and freedoms, to review compliance with legal norms, to institute administrative proceedings against officials, to issue warnings about unacceptability of violations and to issue reports pertaining to the remedying of the violations uncovered (sections 22 and 27). 35.     A prosecutor’s report pertaining to the remedying of the violations uncovered is served on an official or a body, which has to examine the report without delay. Within a month specific measures aimed at the elimination of the violation should be taken. The prosecutor should be informed about the measures taken (section 24). 36 .     Chapter 4 governs the prosecutors’ competence to review compliance with legal norms by the prison authorities. They are competent to verify that the prisoners’ placement in custody is lawful and that their rights and obligations are respected, as well as to oversee the conditions of their detention (section   32). To that end, prosecutors may visit the detention facilities at any time, to talk to detainees and to study their personal files, to require the prison administration to ensure respect for the rights of detainees, to obtain statements from officials and to institute administrative proceedings (section   33). Decisions and requests by the prosecutors must be unconditionally enforced by the prison authorities (section 34). E.     Code of Civil Procedure: Complaints about unlawful decisions 37 .     Chapter 25 sets out the procedure for a judicial examination of complaints about decisions, acts or omissions of the State and municipal authorities and officials. Pursuant to Ruling no.   2 of 10 February 2009 by the Plenary Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, complaints by suspects, defendants and convicts about inappropriate conditions of detention must be examined in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 25 (point 7). 38.     A citizen may lodge a complaint about an act or decision by any State authority which he believes has breached his rights or freedoms, either with a court of general jurisdiction or by sending it to the directly higher official or authority (Article 254). The complaint may concern any decision, act or omission which has violated rights or freedoms, has impeded the exercise of rights or freedoms, or has imposed a duty or liability on the citizen (Article 255). 39.     The complaint must be lodged within three months of the date when the citizen learnt of the breach of his rights. The time-period may be extended for valid reasons (Article 256). The complaint must be examined within ten days; if necessary, in the absence of the respondent authority or official (Article 257). 40 .     The burden of proof as to the lawfulness of the contested decision, act or omission lies with the authority or official concerned. If necessary, the court may obtain evidence of its own initiative (point 20 of Ruling no.   2). 41 .     If the court finds the complaint justified, it issues a decision requiring the authority or official to fully remedy the breach of the citizen’s rights (Article 258 §   1). The court determines the time-limit for remedying the violation with regard to the nature of the complaint and the efforts that need to be deployed to remedy the violation in full (point 28 of Ruling no.   2). 42 .     The decision is dispatched to the head of the authority concerned, to the official concerned or to their superiors, within three days of its entry into force. The court and the complainant must be notified of the enforcement of the decision no later than one month after its receipt (Article   258 §§   2 and   3). F.     Civil Code 43 .     Civil rights may be protected in many forms, including in particular, recognition of the right, re-establishment of the status quo ante and the discontinuance of violations of the right or the prevention of such violations, and compensation in respect of non-pecuniary damage (Article   12). 44.     An individual’s life and health, personal dignity and integrity, honour and goodwill are considered to be the person’s “non-property rights” or “intangible assets”, which are protected under the Civil Code and other laws in the cases and to the extent that the forms of the protection of civil rights listed in Article 12 correspond to the essence of the violated intangible right and to the consequences of such violation (Article 150). 45.     If certain actions impairing an individual’s personal non-property rights or encroaching on other intangible assets have caused him or her non-pecuniary damage (physical or mental suffering), the court may impose on the perpetrator an obligation to pay pecuniary compensation for that damage. The amount of compensation is determined by reference to the gravity of the perpetrator’s fault and other significant circumstances. The court also takes into account the extent of physical or mental suffering in relation to the victim’s individual characteristics (Article 151). 46.     Damage caused to the person or property of a citizen shall be compensated in full by the tortfeasor. The tortfeasor is not liable for damage if he proves that the damage has been caused through no fault of his own (Article   1064 §§   1, 2). 47.     State and municipal bodies and officials shall be liable for damage caused to a citizen by their unlawful actions or omissions (Article 1069). Irrespective of any fault by State officials, the State or regional treasury are liable for damage sustained by a citizen on account of (i) unlawful criminal conviction or prosecution; (ii) unlawful application of a preventive measure, and (iii) unlawful administrative punishment (Article 1070). 48.     Compensation for non-pecuniary damage is effected in accordance with Article 151 of the Civil Code and is unrelated to any award in respect of pecuniary damage (Article 1099). Irrespective of the tortfeasor’s fault, non-pecuniary damage shall be compensated for if the damage was caused (i) by a hazardous device; (ii) in the event of unlawful conviction or prosecution or unlawful application of a preventive measure or unlawful administrative punishment, and (iii) through dissemination of information which was damaging to honour, dignity or reputation (Article 1100). G.     Code of Criminal Procedure on placement in custody 49.     “Preventive measures” (меры пресечения) include an undertaking not to leave a town or region, personal surety, bail, house arrest and detention on remand (Article 98). 50.     Placement in custody may be ordered by a court if the charge carries a sentence of at least two years’ imprisonment, provided that a less restrictive preventive measure cannot be applied (Article 108). A court may order detention on remand if there are sufficient reasons to believe that the suspect might abscond, re-offend or threaten a witness, destroy evidence or otherwise obstruct the preliminary investigation or trial of the criminal case (Article 97). The circumstances to be taken into account when imposing a preventive measure include, apart from those specified in Article 97, the seriousness of the charges and the suspect’s personality, age, health, family status, occupation and other circumstances (Article 98). 51.     After arrest, the suspect is placed in custody “pending investigation”. The maximum permitted period of detention “pending investigation” is two months but it can be extended for up to eighteen months in “exceptional circumstances” (Article 109 §§   1-3). 52 .     On 29 October 2009 the Plenary Supreme Court of the Russian Federation adopted Ruling no.   22 governing the application of preventive measures, including placement of custody, bail and house arrest. It provided in particular that detention on remand may be ordered only if it is impossible to impose a more lenient preventive measure (point 2). When examining an application for a detention order, the courts were required to assess the existence of a reasonable suspicion that the person concerned had been involved in the commission of the offence (point 19). When issuing further extension orders, courts were to specify concrete facts justifying the continued detention and the supporting evidence (point 21). In addition, the courts had to explain why it was not possible to apply a more lenient measure (point 26). H.     Statistics on placement in custody and trial outcomes 53 .     The information submitted by the Government and the statistical data available on the website of the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court (www.cdep.ru) show the number of cases in which first-instance courts granted prosecutors’ applications for an initial detention order or for its extension, and the total number of individuals convicted or acquitted at first instance (excluding the cases that were discontinued and did not end in either a conviction or an acquittal) during the reference year:   2007 2008 2009 2010 [1] Applications for a detention order granted (% total) 223,412 (90.7%) 207,456 (90.1%) 187,793 (90.1%) 148,156 (90.0%) Applications for a detention order rejected (% total) 22,936 (9.3%) 22,813 (9.9%) 20,623 (9.9%) 16,398 (10.0%) Applications for an extension order granted (% total) 194,307 (98.5%) 201,499 (98.1%) 208,760 (98.1%) 180,686 (97.9%) Applications for an extension order rejected (% total) 3,013 (1.5%) 3,921 (1.9%) 4,059 (1.9%) 3,857 (2.1%) Cases in which defendant(s) was in custody on opening date of trial 206,281 191,696 177,047 n/a Total persons convicted 931,057 941,936 906,664 861,694 Total persons acquitted 10,216 10,027 9,179 9,138 I.     Federal Programme for Development of the Penitentiary 54 .     By Resolution no.   540 of 5 September 2006, the Russian Government approved a federal expenditure programme under the title “Development of the Criminal Justice and Penitentiary System in 2007-2016”. As amended by subsequent Government Resolutions, the programme description reads as follows: 1.     Description of the problem “The contemporary criminal justice and penitentiary system is a complex of institutions and organs that enforces various types of penalties. It comprises 1,060 institutions, including 844 correctional facilities, 7 prisons and 209 remand prisons. At present more than 812,000 individuals are being held in those institutions. The number of suspects and defendants who were remanded in custody and are held in remand prisons (hereinafter – “untried prisoners”) and the number of convicted defendants in correctional facilities (hereinafter – “convicted prisoners”) do not depend on the functioning of the Federal Penitentiary Service and are chiefly determined by the level of crime in the country and the judicial practice. ... Pursuant to the requirements of the Russian Federation’s laws, untried and convicted prisoners must be allocated to cells, taking into account their character and psychological compatibility, as well as their gender and age... The sanitary norm is four square metres of floor space per untried prisoner. As a consequence of construction and renovation work carried out in remand prisons in the framework of the federal expenditure programme ‘Reform of the penitentiary system in 2002-2006’, the number of places in remand prisons in which the conditions of detention are compatible with the requirements of Russian laws will reach 94.4% by the end of 2006. The federal expenditure programme ‘Development of the Criminal Justice and Penitentiary System in 2007-2016’ (hereinafter – “the Programme”) will be a logical continuation of this work. At present only the facilities in forty Russian regions are actually capable of providing accommodation that is compatible with the sanitary norm of floor space per inmate. It follows that the remand prison population exceeds the established prison capacity, and in certain regions it does so to a significant extent. In twenty Russian regions the sanitary norm of cell surface per detainee is less than four square metres, in eighteen regions (Altay, Tyva, Sakha (Yakutiya), Chuvash and Udmurt Republics, Krasnodar, Perm, Khabarovsk, Astrakhan, Kaluga, Kostroma, Kurgan, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk, Smolensk, Tomsk and Tula Regions) it is less than three square metres, which is a violation of the rights of untried prisoners. Three Russian regions (Khakassiya Republic, Yevreyskiy and Yamalo-Nenetskiy Regions) have no remand prisons, which leads to various excesses in enforcing custodial measures and carrying out investigative acts. A majority of remand prisons are located in old buildings. In recent years, constructions have collapsed in remand prisons of the Astrakhan, Magadan, Moscow, Tambov, Chita and other regions owing to their unsatisfactory condition. It is now being debated whether twelve remand prisons (Dagestan, Karelia and Chuvash Republics, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Vologda, Voronezh, Kamchatka, Kostroma, Sverdlovsk, Tambov and Tula Regions) should be put out of operation... Since Russia acceded to the Council of Europe in 1996 and ratified the European Convention on Human Rights in 1998, it has become an urgent objective to bring the penitentiary system into compliance with the Council of Europe’s legal standards, which have significantly evolved in recent years with respect to prison management and treatment of detainees... Taking into account the fact that the minimum sanitary norm per detainee is set by the [Committee for the Prevention of Torture, “CPT”] at seven square metres, the European Court refers in its judgments to this approximate standard for prisoners’ accommodation. The Council of Europe’s commentary on the European Prison Rules gives reasons to believe that the [CPT] will set the sanitary norm per inmate in the range of nine or ten square metres. At present the sanitary norm per inmate meets the international standard only in three remand prisons (Dagestan and Kalmykiya Republics, Kamchatka Region); however, two of them (Dagestan and Kamchatka) are under threat of collapse and will have to be closed... 2.     Main objective and goals, time-limits for implementation and the most important targets of the Programme The Programme’s objective is to bring the conditions of detention of untried and convicted prisoners in line with Russian laws with a view to attaining international standards for the detention of defendants in remand prisons. The Programme’s goals are:       reconstruction and construction of remand prisons in which the conditions of detention of untried prisoners are compatible with Russian laws...       construction of twenty-six remand prisons, in which the conditions of detention are compatible with international standards. The most important targets of the Programme are [Annex 1]: Target name 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Percentage of remand prisons compatible with Russian standards 53.7 53.9 54.2 57.5 60 61.1 72.8 84.9 95.6 100 Percentage of remand prisons compatible with international standards 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.9 1.4 1.8 2.7 6.2 11.4 3.     The Programme’s measures In 2007-2009, the construction of seven new remand prisons will be completed; they will offer conditions of detention compatible with Russian standards. In addition, the construction of thirty-two remand prisons that has begun in the framework of the 2002-2006 federal expenditure programme, is about to be completed. Starting from 2010, the conditions of detention in ninety-seven old-style remand prisons will be brought into compliance with Russian laws. New-style remand prisons are being built in twenty-four Russian regions (Dagestan, Karelia, Tyva, Khakassiya and Chuvash Republics, Krasnodar, Perm, Stavropol, Astrakhan, Vladimir, Voronezh, Kamchatka, Kemerovo, Kostroma, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Samara, Leningrad, Sverdlovsk, Tomsk, Tula, Chita, Yamalo-Nenetskiy and Yevreyskiy Regions, St Petersburg). The conditions of detention in those facilities will meet the international standards (sanitary norm of seven square metres per detainee). By 2017 the total number of remand prisons – taking into account the fact that twelve prisons will probably be closed – will grow to 230. The conditions of detention will be compatible with Russian laws, and in 26 prisons also with international standards... 4.     Allocation of resources to the Programme Resources will be allocated to the Programme at the expense of the federal budget. The total amount of the financing represents 54,588,200,000 roubles [approximately 1,350,000,000 euros]...” III.     RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL MATERIAL 55 .     The Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, adopted by the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at Geneva in 1955, and approved by the Economic and Social Council by its resolution 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957 and 2076 (LXII) of 13 May 1977, provide, in particular, as follows: “10. All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation... 11. In all places where prisoners are required to live or work, (a) The windows shall be large enough to enable the prisoners to read or work by natural light, and shall be so constructed that they can allow the entrance of fresh air whether or not there is artificial ventilation; (b) Artificial light shall be provided sufficient for the prisoners to read or work without injury to eyesight. 12. The sanitary installations shall be adequate to enable every prisoner to comply with the needs of nature when necessary and in a clean and decent manner. 13. Adequate bathing and shower installations shall be provided so that every prisoner may be enabled and required to have a bath or shower, at a temperature suitable to the climate, as frequently as necessary for general hygiene according to season and geographical region, but at least once a week in a temperate climate. 14. All pans of an institution regularly used by prisoners shall be properly maintained and kept scrupulously clean at all time. 15. Prisoners shall be required to keep their persons clean, and to this end they shall be provided with water and with such toilet articles as are necessary for health and cleanliness... 19. Every prisoner shall, in accordance with local or national standards, be provided with a separate bed, and with separate and sufficient bedding which shall be clean when issued, kept in good order and changed often enough to ensure its cleanliness. 20. (1) Every prisoner shall be provided by the administration at the usual hours with food of nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of wholesome quality and well prepared and served. (2) Drinking water shall be available to every prisoner whenever he needs it. 21. (1) Every prisoner who is not employed in outdoor work shall have at least one hour of suitable exercise in the open air daily if the weather permits. 45... (2) The transport of prisoners in conveyances with inadequate ventilation or light, or in any way which would subject them to unnecessary physical hardship, shall be prohibited...” 56 .     The relevant extracts from the General Reports prepared by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) read as follows: Extracts from t