{"id":9078,"date":"2012-04-17T22:14:24","date_gmt":"2012-04-17T19:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/?p=9078"},"modified":"2012-04-17T22:14:24","modified_gmt":"2012-04-17T19:14:24","slug":"estamirova-v-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/2012\/04\/estamirova-v-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"Estamirova v. Russia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The ECHR case of Estamirova v. Russia (applications no. 27365\/07).<\/span><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">CASE OF ESTAMIROVA  v. RUSSIA<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Application no.  27365\/07)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">JUDGMENT<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">STRASBOURG<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">17 April 2012<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This judgment will become final in the circumstances  set out in Article\u00a044 \u00a7\u00a02 of the Convention. It may be subject to editorial  revision.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the case of <strong>Estamirova v. Russia<\/strong>,<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The European Court of Human Rights (First Section),  sitting as a Chamber composed of:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nina  Vaji\u0107, <em>President<\/em>, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Anatoly Kovler, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Elisabeth Steiner, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Julia Laffranque, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Erik M\u00f8se, judges, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and Andr\u00e9  Wampach, <em>Deputy Section Registrar<\/em>,<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Having deliberated in private on 27 March 2012,<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted  on that date:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">PROCEDURE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">1.\u00a0\u00a0The case originated in an application (no.  27365\/07) against the Russian Federation lodged with the Court under  Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and  Fundamental Freedoms (\u201cthe Convention\u201d) by a Russian national, Ms  Sovman Estamirova (\u201cthe applicant\u201d), on 8 June 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">2.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant was represented by lawyers from  the Stichting Russian Justice Initiative (\u201cSRJI\u201d), an NGO based  in the Netherlands with a representative office in Russia. The Russian  Government (\u201cthe Government\u201d) were represented by Mr G. Matyushkin,  Representative of the Russian Federation at the European Court of Human  Rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">3.\u00a0\u00a0Relying on Articles 2, 3 and 13 of the Convention,  the applicant alleged, in particular, that her husband had been killed by State servicemen, and that the  authorities had failed to carry out an effective investigation into  the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">4.\u00a0\u00a0On  27 August 2009 the Court decided to apply Rule\u00a041 of the Rules of Court,  and to grant priority treatment to the application and to give notice  of the application to the Government. Under the provisions of the former  Article 29 \u00a7 3 of the Convention, it decided to examine the merits  of the application at the same time as its admissibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">5.\u00a0\u00a0The Government objected to the joint examination  of the admissibility and merits of the application. Having considered  the Government\u2019s objection, the Court dismissed it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">THE FACTS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I.\u00a0\u00a0THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">6.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant was born in 1959; at the material  time she lived in Argun. She currently lives in Noybera, Chechnya. The  applicant was the wife of Asradiy (also spelled as Asrudi, Asradiyn  and Visrudi) Estamirov, who was born in 1957.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A.\u00a0\u00a0Killing of Asradiy Estamirov<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">1.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant\u2019s account<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">7.\u00a0\u00a0At about 5 p.m. on 5 January 2001 a convoy  of the 70th motorised infantry battalion was moving on the Gudermes-Argun  highway through the town of Argun in Chechnya.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">8.\u00a0\u00a0At about 5.30 p.m., when the military was moving  in the vicinity of the corner of Gudermesskaya Street and Stepnoy Lane  in Argun, the convoy exchanged intense fire with unidentified persons,  who had attempted to attack it. Asradiy Estamirov, who happened to be  at the corner of Gudermesskaya Street and Stepnoy Lane was wounded in  the head and subsequently died.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">9.\u00a0\u00a0According to Mr R.V., who was at home on 5  January 2001, at about 5 p.m. on that date he heard intensive shooting.  Shortly after the firing had come to an end, he was asked to take the  wounded Asradiy Estamirov to hospital in his car. He took the applicant\u2019s  husband to the Argun town hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">10.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 February 2001 the Argun town registration  office issued an official certificate confirming the death of Asradiy  Estamirov. The document stated that he had died on 6 January 2001.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">11.\u00a0\u00a0On 16 May 2001 the Argun town hospital issued  a medical statement concerning the death of Asradiy Estamirov. According  to the document, the cause of his death had been a \u201c&#8230;blunt penetrating  wound of the left frontal region of the head&#8230; received during the  shooting by the federal military forces&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">12.\u00a0\u00a0On an unspecified date a doctor of the Argun  town hospital issued an information statement concerning the cause of  Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s death. According to the document, \u201c&#8230;the corpse  arrived at the trauma ward of the Argun town hospital at 5.20 p.m. on  5 January 2001; [Asradiy Estamirov] was killed during the fire [opened  by] the federal forces&#8230; diagnosis: blunt penetrating wound of the  left frontal region of the head, fatal injury&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">13.\u00a0\u00a0In support of her statement the applicant  enclosed the following documents: a statement by Mr R.V. dated 18 November  2004; a statement by Mr T.E. dated 18 November 2004; a copy of two medical  statements, undated and dated 16 May 2001, respectively; and a copy  of Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s death certificate dated 6 February 2001.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">2.\u00a0\u00a0Information submitted by the Government<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">14.\u00a0\u00a0The Government did not challenge the matter  as presented by the applicant. They submitted that the applicant\u2019s  husband had been killed on 5\u00a0January 2001 during an exchange of fire  between the military convoy and unidentified individuals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">B.\u00a0\u00a0The investigation into the killing<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">15.\u00a0\u00a0On 5 January 2001 three residents of Argun,  Ms Kh.E., Ms Ya.D. and Ms S.E., provided their statements to the applicant  to the effect that on 5 January 2001 they had seen a convoy of Russian  federal forces driving on the Gudermes-Argun motorway; the convoy had  been firing at unknown targets. According to the document, none of the  three residents had witnessed the shooting of the applicant\u2019s husband  or had been able to notice the registration numbers or any distinctive  features of the military vehicles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">16.\u00a0\u00a0On 5 or 6 January 2001 an officer from the  Argun Department of the Interior (the Argun VOVD) informed his superiors  that at about 6 p.m. on 5\u00a0January 2001 Asradiy Estamirov had been taken  to the hospital by Mr\u00a0R.V. who had found him wounded in Stepnoy Lane  earlier the same day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">17.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 January 2001 the Argun town hospital  no.\u00a01 informed the Argun VOVD that on 5 January 2001 they had received  the body of Asradiy Estamirov with a gunshot wound on his forehead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">18.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 January 2001 the Argun Inter-District  Prosecutor\u2019s Office (the Prosecutor\u2019s Office) instituted an investigation  into the killing of Asradiy Estamirov under Article 109\u00a0\u00a7\u00a01 of the Criminal  Code (negligent infliction of death). The case file was given the number  45003.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">19.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 January 2001 the investigators examined  the crime scene and collected four bullet cartridges left after the  shooting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">20.\u00a0\u00a0On the same date, 6 January 2001, the investigators  questioned Mr\u00a0M.B. who stated that he had been the duty doctor at the  Argun town hospital no. 1 when at about 5 p.m. on 5 January 2001 Asradiy  Estamirov had been taken there. Upon arrival at the hospital the applicant\u2019s  husband had been dead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">21.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 January 2001 the investigators also questioned  Mr T.-A.E., who stated that on 5 January 2001 he had been at home in  Stepnoy Lane when he had heard automatic gunfire which had lasted a  few minutes. The witness had stayed at home and had gone out when the  gunfire had stopped. On the ground he had found Asradiy Estamirov, who  had been alive but with a gunshot wound on his forehead. The witness  decided to take Asradiy Estamirov to the hospital; he had asked his  neighbour Mr R.V. (also known as Mr A.V.) to assist him, and the two  men had taken Asradiy to the hospital where it had been established  that the applicant\u2019s husband had died.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">22.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 January 2001 (in the documents submitted  the date was also cited as 6 December 2001) the investigators questioned  Mr R.V. who stated, amongst other things, that on 5 January 2001 he  had been told that a man had been wounded as a result of gunfire in  his neighbourhood. The witness had taken this man, Asradiy Estamirov,  to the hospital, but the latter had died.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">23.\u00a0\u00a0On 7 January 2001 the Prosecutor\u2019s Office  ordered a ballistic expert examination of the cartridge cases found  at the crime scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">24.\u00a0\u00a0On 8 January 2001 the Prosecutor\u2019s Office  ordered an expert forensic examination of a blood-like substance found  at the crime scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">25.\u00a0\u00a0On 9 January 2001 the expert examinations  department of the Argun VOVD carried out a ballistic expert examination  of four cartridge cases collected from the crime scene. According to  the report:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201c&#8230;two cartridge cases were fired&#8230;  from the same firearm; one cartridge case&#8230; was fired from the second  type of firearm and the third one&#8230; from the third type of firearm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8230;the comparative analysis&#8230; established  that the cartridge cases had been a part of ammunition&#8230;.of bullets  of 7.62 mm calibre&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8230; it is impossible to establish precisely  from what type of firearm the cartridge cases had been fired owing to  the lack of a relevant database in Argun&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">26.\u00a0\u00a0On 8 January 2001 (in the submitted documents  the date is mistakenly cited as 9 January 2000) the Prosecutor\u2019s Office  ordered an expert forensic examination of Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">27.\u00a0\u00a0On 9 January 2001 the Chechnya Forensics Examinations  Bureau issued its report, according to which the death of Asradiy Estamirov  had been caused by a blunt perforating gunshot wound to the forehead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">28.\u00a0\u00a0On 11 January 2001 an investigator from the  Prosecutor\u2019s Office issued an information statement concerning the  criminal case, according to which on 5 January 2001 five military units  had gone through the town of Argun, and the last one had been military  convoy no.\u00a07001, which had consisted of thirty-six servicemen under the  command of Lieutenant Colonel Shv.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">29.\u00a0\u00a0On 12 January 2001 the investigators forwarded  a request to the Military Prosecutor\u2019s Office of military unit no.\u00a020102,  asking them to take the following steps: to identify which convoy had  passed through Argun on 5 January 2001 at about 5 p.m.; to question  the head of the convoy and the senior drivers about the circumstances  of Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s killing and to collect at the military unit  all the documents pertaining to the shooting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">30.\u00a0\u00a0On 27 January 2001 the investigators questioned  the mother of Asradiy Estamirov, Ms S.E., who stated, amongst other  things, that she had not witnessed the events, but had learnt from neighbours  that her son had been accidently killed during an exchange of gunfire  between a military convoy and unidentified persons.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">31.\u00a0\u00a0On the same date the investigators questioned  Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s sister, Ms Kh.G., whose statement about the events  was similar to the one given by her mother, Ms S.E.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">32.\u00a0\u00a0On 22 February 2001 the investigators requested  that the Argun VOVD take operational-search measures to establish the  circumstances of Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">33.\u00a0\u00a0On 6 March 2001 the applicant was granted  victim status in the criminal case.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">34.\u00a0\u00a0On the same date, 6 March 2001, the Prosecutor\u2019s  Office suspended the investigation in the criminal case for failure  to identify the perpetrators.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">35.\u00a0\u00a0On 18 May 2001 the applicant wrote to the  Argun prosecutor and requested the authorities to identify the perpetrators  of her husband\u2019s killing. In his reply of 6 June 2001 the Argun prosecutor  informed the applicant that all measures envisaged under the domestic  law were being taken to identify the culprits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">36.\u00a0\u00a0On 17 July 2001 the applicant requested that  the Chechnya prosecutor provided her with information on the progress  of the investigation and the reasons for its suspension. No reply was  given to this request.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">37.\u00a0\u00a0On 14 December 2001 the Argun Department of  the Federal Security Service (the Argun FSB) informed the investigators  that they had no information concerning the stationing of the 70th military  unit of military convoy no.\u00a07001.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">38.\u00a0\u00a0On 14 October 2004 the deputy Argun prosecutor  overruled the decision of 6 March 2001 to suspend the investigation  as unlawful and resumed the proceedings. The prosecutor pointed out  that the investigators had failed to take a number of necessary steps.  The decision stated, inter\u00a0alia, the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201c&#8230;. It is necessary to order and  conduct additional ballistic expert examinations&#8230; to check whether  A. Estamirov was involved in illegal armed groups&#8230; to obtain the results  of the forensic examination&#8230; to identify and question the servicemen  who had participated in the military convoy and to conduct a ballistic  expert examination of their firearms, to compare these firearms with  the cartridge cases collected from the crime scene and to take other  investigating measures&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">39.\u00a0\u00a0On 15 October 2004 the deputy Argun prosecutor  informed the applicant\u2019s representatives that the decision to suspend  the investigation had been overruled and that on 6 March 2001 the applicant  had been granted victim status in the criminal case, but she had not  yet been questioned by the investigators.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">40.\u00a0\u00a0On 18 October 2004 the investigators requested  that the Military Prosecutor\u2019s Office of military unit no.\u00a020102 inform  them about the stationing of the 70th motorised infantry battalion of  military convoy no.\u00a07001 and provide them with the list of servicemen  who had served in this military convoy on 5 January 2001.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">41.\u00a0\u00a0On or after 12 November 2004 the supervisory  prosecutor criticised the investigators for their failure to carry out  previously given orders stating, inter alia, the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201c&#8230;examination of the investigation  file of 12 November 2004 demonstrated that none of the [previously]  given prosecutor\u2019s orders in criminal case no. 45003 concerning the  death of A. Estamirov had been carried out during the investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The criminal case file does not contain  the plan of investigative steps and operational measures&#8230; which leads  to chaos in taking the necessary steps aimed at solving the crime&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">42.\u00a0\u00a0On 18 November 2004 the investigators again  questioned Mr T.-A. E. who reiterated his statement of 6 January 2001  (see paragraph 21 above).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">43.\u00a0\u00a0On 19 November 2004 the investigators questioned  Ms T.A., Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s sister, who stated that on 5 January  2001 she had been at home in Gudermesskaya Street when she had heard  an exchange of gunfire lasting about twenty minutes. On the following  day she had learnt from the neighbours that this shooting had taken  place between a Russian military convoy and members of illegal armed  groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">44.\u00a0\u00a0On the same date, 19 November 2004, the investigators  again questioned Mr R.V., who reiterated his statement of 6 January  2001 (see paragraph 22 above).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">45.\u00a0\u00a0On 22 November 2004 the investigators showed  the applicant a copy of the decision granting her victim status in the  criminal case and questioned her.\u00a0\u00a0She stated that she had not witnessed  the events on 5 January 2001 as she had not been at home. From her relatives  she had learnt that her husband Asradiy Estamirov had been shot at about  5.30 p.m. on 5 January 2001 during an exchange of gunfire between a  Russian military convoy and unidentified persons. The applicant further  stated that her husband\u2019s death had been an accident.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">46.\u00a0\u00a0On 29 November 2004 the investigators questioned  the applicant\u2019s son, Mr I.E., whose statement concerning the events  was similar to the one given by the applicant on 22 November 2004.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">47.\u00a0\u00a0On 7 December 2004 the investigators requested  that the Stavropol Expert Examinations Bureau provide them with the  results of the forensic expert examination ordered in 2001. On 28 December  2004 the Bureau replied that they had neither received the investigators\u2019  order nor the evidence for examination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">48.\u00a0\u00a0On 8 December 2004 the investigators requested  that the Argun FSB, the Argun town Department of the Interior (the Argun  GOVD) and the Argun Military Department of the United Group Alignment  inform them about the current location of the 70th motorised infantry  battalion and provide them with the names of the servicemen who had  served in military convoy no.\u00a07001 on 5\u00a0January 2001.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">49.\u00a0\u00a0On 10 December 2004 the Military Prosecutor\u2019s  Office of military unit no.\u00a020102 informed the investigators that the  70th motorised infantry battalion was stationed in Shali, Chechnya and  that it was impossible to identify the servicemen who had served in  military convoy no.\u00a07001 on 5\u00a0January 2001 as the Military Prosecutor\u2019s  Office was not supposed to take operational-search measures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">50.\u00a0\u00a0On 13 December 2004 the Argun GOVD informed  the investigators that it was impossible to establish where the 70th  motorised infantry battalion was currently stationed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">51.\u00a0\u00a0On 14 December 2004 the Argun FSB replied  to the investigators, stating that owing to departmental subordination,  they had been unable to establish the current stationing of the 70th  motorised infantry battalion and suggested that such information could  be obtained from the military.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">52.\u00a0\u00a0On 14 December 2004 (in the documents submitted  the date is also cited as 15 December 2004) the investigators suspended  the investigation in the criminal case for failure to identify the perpetrators  and informed the applicant accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">53.\u00a0\u00a0On 15 December 2004 the investigators requested  the Argun GOVD to take operational measures to identify the perpetrators  of Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s killing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">54.\u00a0\u00a0On 16 December 2004 an operational-search  officer from the Argun GOVD informed his superiors that it was impossible  to find witnesses to Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s killing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">55.\u00a0\u00a0On 24 January 2005 the Military Prosecutor\u2019s  Office of military unit no.\u00a020116 requested that military unit no.\u00a023132  provide information about their servicemen who had participated in military  convoy no.\u00a07001 on 5\u00a0January 2001.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">56.\u00a0\u00a0On 18 March 2005 the applicant\u2019s representatives  requested that the Argun Prosecutor\u2019s Office inform them of the progress  in the investigation and whether the applicant and other witnesses had  been questioned by the investigators. They also requested that the applicant  be provided with copies of documents from the case file. On 22 April  2005 the Argun Prosecutor\u2019s Office replied to the request, stating  that the applicant had been granted victim status in the criminal case  and questioned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">57.\u00a0\u00a0On 14 January 2006 the applicant complained  to the Argun Prosecutor\u2019s Office that the investigation into her husband\u2019s  killing had been ineffective, and requested to be provided with detailed  information concerning the progress in the proceedings. In their reply  of 8 February 2006 the Argun Prosecutor\u2019s Office stated that the investigation  had taken all necessary steps in the criminal case and that the applicant\u2019s  allegations of its ineffectiveness were unsubstantiated. On the same  date the applicant was provided with copies of a few procedural documents  from the case file.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">58.\u00a0\u00a0On 8 February 2006 the investigators replied  to the applicant, stating that they had taken all possible measures  to solve the crime, that she had been granted victim status in the criminal  case and had been informed about it on 22 November 2004, and that she  was entitled to the procedural rights of a victim according to the law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">59.\u00a0\u00a0On 13 February 2006 the applicant requested  the investigators to grant her access to the investigation file. Her  request was granted on the same date and she was shown the contents  of the investigation file in the Prosecutor\u2019s Office.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">60.\u00a0\u00a0On 15 February 2006 the applicant complained  to the Argun Prosecutor that the investigation into her husband\u2019s  killing had been ineffective, and requested that the authorities provide  her with the results of the ballistic and forensic expert examinations  of evidence and the results of the information requests concerning the  servicemen of military convoy no.\u00a07001. She also asked to be provided  with access to the investigation file. On 2 March 2006 the Argun Prosecutor\u2019s  Office replied to the applicant, stating that she had already been provided  with copies of procedural documents to which she was entitled under  the domestic law, and that access to the other documents in the case  file would be possible only upon completion of the investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">61.\u00a0\u00a0On 2 March 2006 the investigators replied  to the applicant that by law she was entitled to have access to the  entire contents of the investigation file only upon completion of the  investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">62.\u00a0\u00a0On 29 March 2006 the investigators allowed  the applicant\u2019s lawyer access to the investigation file.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">63.\u00a0\u00a0On 21 October 2009 the investigators resumed  the investigation in the criminal case, stating that it was incomplete  and that a number of steps, including the following, should be taken:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201c&#8230;  it is necessary to:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8211; identify the servicemen of the 70th  motorised infantry battalion of military unit no.\u00a023132 (in 2004 the  unit was stationed in Shali) who had participated in military convoy  no.\u00a07001 which had moved through the town of Argun on 5 January 2001  and had been subjected to gunfire by unidentified persons. Upon identifying  the servicemen, they should be questioned about the circumstances of  the crime. It is also necessary to take measures to establish which  firearms the servicemen had at the time and then to subject them to  expert examination;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8211; establish the whereabouts of the bullet  cartridges collected from the crime scene and send them to the ballistics  information centres&#8230;to order an additional ballistic expert examination  in order to identify the firearms used [by the perpetrators];<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8211; compare the bullet cartridges collected  from the crime scene with the firearms which had been used by servicemen  of the 70th motorised infantry battalion on 5\u00a0January 2001;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8211; establish the whereabouts of and question  Lieutenant Colonel Shv. who had been in charge of military convoy no.  7001&#8230;;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8211; forward information requests to archives  of the power structures concerning the servicemen and the command of  the 70th motorised infantry battalion of military unit no.\u00a023132 who  had been there on assignment in January 2001 and had participated in  the exchange of gunfire on 5 January 2001 &#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The applicant was informed about this decision on the same date.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">64.\u00a0\u00a0On 12 November 2009 the Argun town Prosecutor\u2019s  Office informed the investigators that their office had no information  concerning the four bullet cartridges collected from the crime scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">65.\u00a0\u00a0On 21 November 2009 the investigation in the  criminal case was again suspended for failure to identify the perpetrators.  The applicant was informed accordingly on the same date.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">66.\u00a0\u00a0On 25 November 2009 the Southern Federal Department  of the Russian Ministry of the Interior informed the investigators that  they had no information concerning the possible involvement of Asradiy  Estamirov in illegal armed groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">67.\u00a0\u00a0According to the Government,  the investigation has so far failed to identify the perpetrators of  Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s killing, but it is still in progress. The investigative  authorities are taking all possible measures to have the crime resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">68.\u00a0\u00a0Upon the Court\u2019s request the Government  submitted a copy of the investigation file in criminal case no.\u00a045003,  which is 119 pages long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">C.\u00a0\u00a0Civil proceedings initiated by the applicant<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">69.\u00a0\u00a0On an unspecified date the applicant brought  proceedings against the Russian Government, demanding compensation for  the damage caused by her husband\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">70.\u00a0\u00a0On 14 May 2002 the Presnenskiy District Court  of Moscow rejected her claim. The decision stated that as the criminal  investigation into the killing had not yet been completed and the perpetrators  had not been prosecuted, the applicant\u2019s allegations that Asradiy  Estamirov had been killed by Russian servicemen were unsubstantiated.  On 26 August 2002 the Moscow City Court upheld that decision on appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">71.\u00a0\u00a0According to the applicant, in May 2005 she  lodged three claims for damages with the Moscow City Court and the Presnenskiy  District Court of Moscow, but her requests went unanswered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">II.\u00a0\u00a0RELEVANT DOMESTIC LAW<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">72.\u00a0\u00a0For a summary of the relevant domestic law  see Khatsiyeva  and Others v. Russia (no. 5108\/02, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0105-107, 17\u00a0January 2008).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">THE LAW<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I.\u00a0\u00a0ISSUE CONCERNING THE EXHAUSTION  OF DOMESTIC REMEDIES<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A.\u00a0\u00a0The parties\u2019 submissions<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">73.\u00a0\u00a0The Government submitted that the investigation  into the killing of Asradiy Estamirov had not yet been completed. They  further argued, in relation to the complaint under Article 13 of the  Convention, that it had been open to the applicant to lodge court complaints  about any acts or omissions on the part of the investigating authorities.  Moreover, she could have claimed damages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">74.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant contested  the Government\u2019s submission. She stated that the only available remedy,  the criminal investigation, had proved to be ineffective.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">B.\u00a0\u00a0The Court\u2019s assessment<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">75.\u00a0\u00a0The Court will examine the arguments of the  parties in the light of the provisions of the Convention and its relevant  practice (for a relevant summary, see Estamirov and Others v. Russia, no. 60272\/00, \u00a7\u00a7 73 and 74,  12\u00a0October 2006).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">76.\u00a0\u00a0The Court notes that the Russian legal system  provides, in principle, two avenues of recourse for the victims of illegal  and criminal acts attributable to the State or its agents, namely civil  and criminal remedies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">77.\u00a0\u00a0As regards a civil action to obtain redress  for damage sustained through the alleged illegal acts or unlawful conduct  of State agents, the Court has already found in a number of similar  cases that this procedure alone cannot be regarded as an effective remedy  in the context of claims brought under Article 2 of the Convention (see Khashiyev and  Akayeva v.\u00a0Russia, nos.\u00a057942\/00 and 57945\/00, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0119-21, 24 February  2005, and Estamirov and Others, cited above, \u00a7\u00a077). In the light of the  above and the conclusion of the Presnenskiy District Court of Moscow  in respect of the applicant\u2019s claim for damages, the Court confirms  that the applicant was not obliged to further pursue civil remedies.  The Government\u2019s objection in this regard is thus dismissed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">78.\u00a0\u00a0As regards criminal-law remedies, the Court  observes that the applicant complained to the law-enforcement authorities  after the killing of Asradiy Estamirov, and that an investigation has  been pending since 6\u00a0January 2001. The applicant and the Government dispute  the effectiveness of the criminal investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">79.\u00a0\u00a0The Court considers that the Government\u2019s  objection raises issues concerning the effectiveness of the investigation  which are closely linked to the merits of the applicant\u2019s complaints.  Thus, it decides to join this objection to the merits of the case and  considers that the issue falls to be examined below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">II.\u00a0\u00a0ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE  2 OF THE CONVENTION<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">80.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant complained under Article 2 of  the Convention that her husband had been deprived of his life by Russian  servicemen and that the domestic authorities had failed to carry out  an effective investigation into the matter. Article 2 reads as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201c1.\u00a0Everyone\u2019s right to life shall be protected  by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the  execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime  for which this penalty is provided by law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">2.\u00a0\u00a0Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as  inflicted in contravention of this article when it results from the  use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(a)\u00a0\u00a0in defence of any person from unlawful violence;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(b)\u00a0\u00a0in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent  the escape of a person lawfully detained;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(c)\u00a0\u00a0in action lawfully taken for the purpose of  quelling a riot or insurrection.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A.\u00a0\u00a0The parties\u2019 submissions<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">81.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant maintained that it was beyond  reasonable doubt that Asradiy Estamirov had been killed by State agents,  submitting that the State\u2019s responsibility for her husband\u2019s death  had been confirmed by medical statements issued by the local hospital  (see paragraphs 11 and 12 above). She further contended that the authorities  had failed to carry out an effective investigation into the incident.  For instance, the authorities had failed to take basic investigative  steps such as the identification of the persons in the military convoy  who had opened fire on 5 January 2001; the questioning of the head of  the military convoy and the senior drivers despite the supervising prosecutor\u2019s  direct orders to this end; and the questioning of the servicemen from  the 70th motorised infantry battalion who had participated in the military  convoy, despite information that the battalion had been stationed in  Shali in 2004. The applicant stressed that the investigation, which  had been protracted by unlawful decisions to suspend the proceedings,  had been pending for more than nine years without producing any tangible  results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">82.\u00a0\u00a0The Government submitted that unidentified  men had killed Asradiy Estamirov. They stressed that it had been impossible  to identify the perpetrators as there had been no direct witnesses to  the exchange of gunfire between the military servicemen and the unidentified  persons. They argued that the medical statements submitted by the applicant  could not serve as proof of the State\u2019s responsibility for his death  in the absence of the results of the pending criminal investigation,  which was being conducted in full compliance with the requirements of  the Convention and domestic law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">B.\u00a0\u00a0The Court\u2019s assessment<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">1.\u00a0\u00a0Admissibility<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">83.\u00a0\u00a0The Court considers, in the light of the parties\u2019  submissions, that the complaint raises serious issues of fact and law  under the Convention, the determination of which requires an examination  of the merits. Furthermore, the Court has already found that the Government\u2019s  objection concerning the alleged non-exhaustion of criminal domestic  remedies should be joined to the merits of the complaint (see paragraph  79 above). The complaint under Article 2 of the Convention must therefore  be declared admissible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">2.\u00a0\u00a0Merits<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(a)\u00a0\u00a0The alleged violation of the right to life  of Asradiy Estamirov<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">84.\u00a0\u00a0It was not disputed by the parties that Asradiy  Estamirov had died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head. The question  to decide in the present case is whether the State authorities were  responsible for the death of the applicant\u2019s husband, as she alleged.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">85.\u00a0\u00a0The Court is sensitive to the subsidiary nature  of its role and recognises that it must be cautious in taking on the  role of a first-instance tribunal of fact, where this is not rendered  unavoidable by the circumstances of a particular case (see, for example, McKerr v. the  United Kingdom (dec.), no. 28883\/95, 4 April 2000). Nevertheless,  since Article 2, which safeguards the right to life and sets out the  circumstances when deprivation of life may be justified, ranks as one  of the most fundamental provisions in the Convention, from which no  derogation is permitted, the Court must subject deprivation of life  to the most careful scrutiny, taking into consideration not only the  actions of State agents but also all the surrounding circumstances (see,  among other authorities, McCann and Others v. the United Kingdom, 27\u00a0September 1995,  \u00a7\u00a7 146-47, Series\u00a0A no.\u00a0324, and Av\u015far v. Turkey, no. 25657\/94, \u00a7\u00a0391, ECHR 2001-VII).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">86.\u00a0\u00a0The Court points out that a number of principles  have been developed in its case-law as regards cases where it is faced  with the task of establishing facts. As to the facts that are in dispute,  the Court reiterates its jurisprudence requiring the standard of proof  \u201cbeyond reasonable doubt\u201d in its assessment of evidence (see Av\u015far,  cited above, \u00a7\u00a0282). Such proof may follow from the coexistence of sufficiently  strong, clear and concordant inferences or of similar unrebutted presumptions  of fact. In this context, the conduct of the parties when evidence is  being obtained has to be taken into account. In particular when, as  in the instant case, the respondent Government have exclusive access  to information able to corroborate or refute the applicant\u2019s allegations,  any lack of cooperation by the Government without a satisfactory explanation  may give rise to the drawing of inferences as to the well-foundedness  of the applicant\u2019s allegations (see Tani\u015f and Others v. Turkey, no. 65899\/01, \u00a7 160, ECHR\u00a02005-VIII).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">87.\u00a0\u00a0Turning to the circumstances of the present  case, the Court notes that the Government cooperated with the Court  and furnished the Court with a copy of the official investigation file.  From the documents submitted it follows that the applicant\u2019s husband  had been shot as a result of the fire exchange between unidentified  persons and the military convoy and that there had been neither direct  witnesses to the incident nor material evidence proving whether the  bullet which caused Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s death\u00a0was fired from a weapon\u00a0belonging  to\u00a0the military or\u00a0to unidentified persons. In these circumstances the  Court does not find it possible to come to the conclusion that the applicant\u2019s  husband\u00a0was\u00a0shot by Russian federal forces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">88.\u00a0\u00a0Thus, the Court considers that the present  case does not disclose such evidence in support of the applicant\u2019s  allegations that the military forces were responsible for her husband\u2019s  death and that the burden of proof should be shifted to the Government.  For that reason, and as it has not been established to the required  standard of proof \u201cbeyond reasonable doubt\u201d that State authorities  were responsible for the death of Asradiy Estamirov, the Court finds  no violation of the substantive limb of Article 2 of the Convention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(b)\u00a0\u00a0The alleged inadequacy of the investigation  into the incident<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">89.\u00a0\u00a0The Court has on many occasions stated that  the obligation to protect the right to life under Article\u00a02 of the Convention  also requires by implication that there should be some form of effective  official investigation when individuals have been killed as a result  of the use of force. It has developed a number of guiding principles  to be followed for an investigation to comply with the Convention\u2019s  requirements (for a summary of these principles see Bazorkina v. Russia, no. 69481\/01, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0117-19, 27\u00a0July 2006).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">90.\u00a0\u00a0In the present case, the death of Asradiy  Estamirov was investigated. The Court must assess whether that investigation  met the requirements of Article\u00a02 of the Convention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">91.\u00a0\u00a0From the outset the Court notes that the investigation  into the applicant\u2019s husband\u2019s death has been suspended on three  occasions and that each time the decision to suspend was overruled by  the supervising prosecutors as unsubstantiated and premature. The prosecutors  have pointed out flaws in the criminal proceedings and ordered remedial  measures which were not complied with by the investigative authorities.  From these orders it transpires that the investigators failed to take  such basic steps as the questioning of the head of the military convoy  and its senior drivers about the circumstances of the events as well  as the questioning of the servicemen from the 70th motorised infantry  battalion who had participated in the military convoy despite information  that the battalion was stationed in Shali in 2004. It is clear that  such measures should have been taken either as soon as the investigation  commenced or shortly after receipt of the relevant information. From  the documents submitted it is clear that a number of important steps,  such as the ballistic expert examination and the identification of the  firearms used by the perpetrators, had not been taken as late as October  2009, and that the investigators themselves were aware of the investigation\u2019s  shortcomings (see paragraph 63 above).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">92.\u00a0\u00a0The Court also notes that even though the  applicant was granted victim status in the investigation concerning  her husband\u2019s killing, she was only informed of the suspension and  resumption of the proceedings, and not of any other significant developments.  Accordingly, the investigators failed to ensure that the investigation  received the required level of public scrutiny, or to safeguard the  interests of the next-of-kin in the proceedings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">93.\u00a0\u00a0Finally, the Court notes that as the investigation  was suspended and resumed several times, there were lengthy periods  of inactivity during which no proceedings were pending.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">94.\u00a0\u00a0The Government argued that the applicant could  have sought judicial review of the decisions of the investigating authorities  in the context of the exhaustion of domestic remedies. The Court observes  that the applicant, having limited access to the case file and not being  properly informed of the progress of the investigation, could not have  effectively challenged acts or omissions of the investigating authorities  before a court. Furthermore, the Court emphasises in this regard that  while the suspension or resumption of proceedings is not in itself a  sign that the proceedings are ineffective, in the present case the decisions  to suspend were taken without the necessary investigative steps being  taken, which led to unnecessary protraction. Moreover, owing to the  time that had elapsed since the events complained of, certain investigative\u00a0measures  that ought to have been carried out much earlier could no longer usefully  be conducted. Therefore, it is highly doubtful that the remedy relied  on would have had any prospects of success. Accordingly, the Court finds  that the remedy cited by the Government was ineffective in the circumstances  and dismisses their objection as regards the applicant\u2019s failure to  exhaust domestic remedies within the context of the criminal investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">95.\u00a0\u00a0In the light of the foregoing, the Court holds  that the authorities failed to carry out an effective criminal investigation  into the circumstances surrounding the killing of Asradiy Estamirov,  in breach of Article\u00a02 in its procedural aspect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">III.\u00a0\u00a0ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE  3 OF THE CONVENTION<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">96.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant relied on Article 3 of the Convention,  submitting that as a result of her husband\u2019s death and the State\u2019s  reaction thereto, she had endured psychological suffering in breach  of Article\u00a03 of the Convention. Article\u00a03 reads as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cNo one shall be subjected to torture or to  inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">97.\u00a0\u00a0Turning to the circumstances of the present  case, the Court notes that the applicant is the wife of Asradiy Estamirov.  Accordingly, it has no doubt that she has indeed suffered from serious  emotional distress following the death of her husband. However, in the  absence of a finding of State responsibility for the killing of Asradiy  Estamirov, the Court is not persuaded that the investigating authorities\u2019  conduct, albeit negligent to the extent that it has breached Article  2 in its procedural aspect, could have in itself caused the applicant  mental distress in excess of the minimum level of severity which is  necessary in order to consider treatment as falling within the scope  of Article\u00a03 (see, for a similar situation, Khumaydov and Khumaydov v.\u00a0Russia, no. 13862\/05, \u00a7\u00a7 130-31,  28 May 2009, and Zakriyeva and Others v. Russia, no. 20583\/04, \u00a7\u00a7 97-98, 8  January 2009).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">98.\u00a0\u00a0It follows that this part of the application  should be rejected in accordance with Article 35 \u00a7\u00a7 3 and 4 of the  Convention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">IV.\u00a0\u00a0ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE  13 OF THE CONVENTION<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">99.\u00a0\u00a0The  applicant complained that she had been deprived of effective remedies  in respect of the alleged violation of Article 2 contrary to Article\u00a013  of the Convention, which provides:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cEveryone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in  [the] Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before  a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed  by persons acting in an official capacity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A.\u00a0\u00a0The parties\u2019 submissions<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">100.\u00a0\u00a0The  Government contended that the applicant had had effective remedies at  her disposal as required by Article\u00a013 of the Convention and that the authorities  had not prevented her from using those remedies. The applicant had had  an opportunity to challenge the acts or omissions of the investigating  authorities in court. In sum, the Government submitted that there had  been no violation of Article\u00a013.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">101.\u00a0\u00a0The  applicant maintained the complaint.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">B.\u00a0\u00a0The Court\u2019s assessment<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">1.\u00a0\u00a0Admissibility<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">102.\u00a0\u00a0The Court notes that this complaint is not  manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 \u00a7 3 of the  Convention. It further notes that it is not inadmissible on any other  grounds. It must therefore be declared admissible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">2.\u00a0\u00a0Merits<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">103.\u00a0\u00a0The  Court reiterates that in circumstances where, as in the present case,  a criminal investigation into a murder has been ineffective and the  effectiveness of any other remedy that might have existed has consequently  been undermined, the State has failed in its obligations under Article\u00a013  of the Convention (see Zubayrayev v. Russia, no. 67797\/01, \u00a7 106, 10 January 2008).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">104.\u00a0\u00a0Consequently, there has been a violation  of Article 13 in conjunction with Article 2 of the Convention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">V.\u00a0\u00a0APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE  CONVENTION<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">105.\u00a0\u00a0Article 41 of the Convention provides:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\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<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A.\u00a0\u00a0Damage<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">106.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant did not submit any claims for  pecuniary damage. As regards non-pecuniary damage,\u00a0she claimed 10,000,000  euros (EUR) for the suffering she had endured as a result of the loss  of her husband, the indifference shown by the authorities towards her  and their failure to effectively investigate his death.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">107.\u00a0\u00a0The Government found the amounts claimed  excessive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">108.\u00a0\u00a0The Court has found a violation of the procedural  aspect of Article\u00a02 and a violation of Article 13 of the Convention on  account of the authorities\u2019 failure to carry out an effective investigation  into Asradiy Estamirov\u2019s death. The Court thus accepts that she has  suffered non-pecuniary damage which cannot be compensated for solely  by the finding of the violation. It awards to the applicant EUR\u00a030,000,  plus any tax that may be chargeable thereon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">B.\u00a0\u00a0Costs and expenses<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">109.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant was represented by the SRJI.  They submitted an itemised schedule of costs and expenses that included  research and interviews, at a rate of EUR 50 per hour for the work in  the area of exhausting domestic remedies, and of EUR 150 per hour for  the drafting of submissions to the Court. The aggregate claim in respect  of costs and expenses related to the applicant\u2019s legal representation  amounted to EUR\u00a05,872.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">110.\u00a0\u00a0The Government disputed  the reasonableness of the amounts claimed under this heading. In particular,  they stressed that the case was rather simple and that preparation and  research had not been necessary to the extent claimed by the applicant\u2019s  representatives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">111.\u00a0\u00a0The Court has to establish first whether  the costs and expenses indicated by the applicant\u2019s representatives  were actually incurred and, second, whether they were necessary (see McCann  and Others, cited above, \u00a7 220).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">112.\u00a0\u00a0Having regard to the details of the information  and legal representation contracts submitted by the applicant, the Court  is satisfied that these rates are reasonable and reflect the expenses  actually incurred by the applicant\u2019s representatives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">113.\u00a0\u00a0As to whether the costs and expenses were  necessary, the Court notes that this case required a certain amount  of research and preparation. It notes at the same time, that owing to  the application of Article 29 \u00a7 3 in the present case, the applicant\u2019s  representatives submitted their observations on admissibility and merits  in one set of documents. The Court thus doubts that research was necessary  to the extent claimed by the representatives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">114.\u00a0\u00a0Having regard to the details of the claims  submitted by the applicant, the Court awards them the amount of EUR\u00a02,500,  together with any value-added tax that may be chargeable to the applicant,  the net award to be paid into the representatives\u2019 bank <\/span><a name=\"01000001\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> account in the Netherlands, as identified by the applicant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">C.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant\u2019s request for an investigation<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">115.\u00a0\u00a0The applicant also requested, referring to  Article 41<\/span><a name=\"01000002\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the Convention, that an independent investigation  in compliance with the requirements of the Convention be conducted into  the killing of Asradiy Estamirov.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">116.\u00a0\u00a0The Court notes that in Kukayev v. <\/span><a name=\"01000003\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Russia, (no.\u00a029361\/02, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0131-34,  15\u00a0November 2007) and Medova v. <\/span><a name=\"01000004\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Russia, (no. 25385\/04, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0142-43,  ECHR 2009-&#8230;), the Court decided that it was most appropriate to leave  it to the respondent Government to choose the means to be used in the  domestic legal order in order to discharge their legal obligation under  Article <\/span><a name=\"01000005\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">46 of the Convention. The Court does not see  any exceptional circumstances which would lead it to reach a different  conclusion in the present case.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">D.\u00a0\u00a0Default interest<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">117.\u00a0\u00a0The 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT UNANIMOUSLY<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">1.\u00a0\u00a0Decides to join to the merits the Government\u2019s objection  as to non-exhaustion of criminal domestic remedies and rejects it;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">2.\u00a0\u00a0Declares the complaints under Articles 2 and 13 of the Convention  admissible and the remainder of the application inadmissible;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">3.\u00a0\u00a0Holds that there has been no violation of Article\u00a02 of the Convention  in its substantive limb in respect of Asradiy Estamirov;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">4.\u00a0\u00a0Holds that there has been a violation of Article\u00a02 of the Convention  in respect of the failure to conduct an effective investigation into  the circumstances in which Asradiy Estamirov died;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">5.\u00a0\u00a0Holds that there has been a violation of Article\u00a013 of  the Convention in conjunction with Article 2 of the Convention;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">6.\u00a0\u00a0Holds<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(a)\u00a0\u00a0that the respondent State is to pay,  within three months from the date on which the judgment becomes final  in accordance with Article\u00a044\u00a0\u00a7\u00a02 of the Convention, the following amounts,  to be converted into Russian roubles at the date of settlement, save  in the case of the payment in respect of costs and expenses:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(i)\u00a0\u00a0EUR\u00a030,000 (thirty thousand euros), plus  any tax that may be chargeable, in respect of non-pecuniary damage to  the applicant;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(ii)\u00a0\u00a0EUR\u00a02,500 (two thousand five hundred  euros), plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicant, in respect  of costs and expenses, to be paid into the representatives\u2019 bank account  in the Netherlands;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(b)\u00a0\u00a0that 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 period plus three percentage points;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">7.\u00a0\u00a0Dismisses the remainder of the applicant\u2019s claim for just  satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Done in English, and notified in writing  on 17 April 2012, pursuant to Rule 77 \u00a7\u00a7 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Andr\u00e9  Wampach\u00a0Nina Vaji\u0107 <\/span><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Deputy Registrar\u00a0President<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ECHR case of Estamirova v. Russia (applications no. 27365\/07).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-echr-cases"],"views":1321,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9078"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9080,"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9078\/revisions\/9080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waynakh.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}