6.  On 20 October 2005 the applicant was summoned to the Ministry of National Security ("the MNS”). He arrived at the MNS at around 3 p.m. and was questioned until 7 p.m.

7.  After being questioned he was detained on suspicion of abuse of official authority, embezzlement of public funds and complicity in an attemptedcoup d’état, allegedly planned to take place after the parliamentary elections of 6 November 2005 and masterminded by former Parliament Speaker R. Guliyev (who was living abroad at that time) and several other high-ranking government officials. He was held in the detention facility of the MNS.

8.  It appears that he was dismissed from his ministerial office on the same day.

9.  On 22 October 2005 the Prosecutor General’s Office formally charged the applicant with criminal offences under Articles 28/220.1 (preparation to organise public disorder), 278 (actions aimed at usurping State power), 179.3.2 (high-level embezzlement), 308.2 (abuse of official authority entailing grave consequences), 311.3.2 (repeated bribe-taking) and 311.3.3 (high-level bribe-taking) of the Criminal Code. The applicant was formally charged in criminal case no. 76586.

10.  On 22 October 2005 the Nasimi District Court remanded the applicant in custody for a period of three months (until 20 January 2006). On 13 January 2006 the same court extended this period by another four months (until 20 May 2006). On 19 May 2006 this period was extended again, by another five months (until 20 October 2006). Lastly, on 16 October 2006 the period was extended again, by another six months (until 20 April 2007). The applicant lodged appeals against each of these decisions. All his appeals were dismissed by the Court of Appeal. An appeal by the applicant against the extension decision of 16 October 2006 was dismissed by a decision of the Court of Appeal on 2 November 2006.

11.  In the course of the pre-trial investigation, the investigating authorities carried out a search of the applicant’s home and found, inter alia, large amounts of cash in various currencies, large quantities of gold items and jewellery, and deeds of a number of residential properties.

12.  On 19 January 2007 the Prosecutor General’s Office issued a new indictment charging the applicant with criminal offences under Articles 28/220.1, 278, 179.3.2, 306.2 (failure by a public official to execute a final court judgment), 308.1 (abuse of official authority), 308.2, 311.3.1 (bribe‑taking), 311.3.2 and 311.3.3 of the Criminal Code.

13.  On 24 January 2007 a new criminal case (no. 76932) was severed from criminal case no. 76586. Under criminal case no. 76932 the applicant was formally charged with the offences under Articles 179.3.2, 306.2, 308.1, 308.2, 311.3.1, 311.3.2, 311.3.3 and 313 (forgery in public office) of the Criminal Code.

6.  The applicant was a journalist and the editor-in-chief of a newspaper named Boz Qurd.

7.  On 9 October 2005 a number of opposition parties held an unauthorised demonstration in Baku. The applicant, together with five other journalists, was present at the demonstration to report on the events. The applicant was not wearing a special blue vest identifying him as a journalist, but he was wearing a journalist badge on his chest.

8.  During the dispersal of the demonstration by the police, the applicant and his colleagues were beaten up and received various injuries. According to the applicant, he told the police officers that he was a journalist and asked them to stop. The applicant was hit on the head and lost consciousness following his beating.

9.  The applicant was taken to hospital the same day. On 26 October 2005 he received a medical certificate with a diagnosis of closed cranio-cerebral trauma, concussion and soft-tissue damage to the crown of the head.

The applicant, Mr Ruslan Jalil oglu Bashirov (Ruslan Cəlil oğlu Bəşirov), is an Azerbaijani national, who was born in 1978 and lives in Zardab. He was represented before the Court by Mr I. Ashurov, a lawyer practising in Baku.

The Azerbaijani Government ("the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr Ç. Asgarov.

The applicant complained, inter alia, under Articles 3 and 6 of the Convention about the conditions of his detention, alleged unfairness of the criminal proceedings against him and alleged breach of his right to the presumption of innocence.

Общественное Объединение "Сутяжник" (г. Екатеринбург), Международный Центр юридической защиты прав человека "Интерайтс" (г. Лондон), Уральский Центр конституционной и международной защиты прав человека

Книга является первой в серии "Международная защита прав человека" и посвящена актуальным сегодня в России вопросам обращения в Европейский Суд по правам человека в Страсбурге. 
Вниманию заинтересованных читателей предлагаются описания юридических процедур защиты, процессуальные вопросы обращения в Суд. Рассматриваются критерии приемлемости жалобы, дружественного урегулирования , порядок рассмотрения дела в Европейском Суде, и справедливой компенсации. Контроль за исполнением решений Суда.

Не правда ли, именно эти вопросы всегда возникают и у специалистов, и у рядовых граждан при первом опыте обращения в международные органы за защитой права?

Авторами глав издания являются Милан Блашко, член Секретариата Европейского Суда по правам человека, и Михаил Лобов, Советник по правовым вопросам Отдела исполнения решений Европейского Суда, которые выступали в качестве преподавателей учебной части проекта "Уральский Центр конституционной и международной защиты прав человека".

Следующие издания серии будут включать в себя материалы международных и российских экспертов, посвященные применению на национальном и международном уровне отдельных статей Европейской Конвенции о защите прав человека.

Финансирование данного издания осуществлено британским неправительственным фондом НОУ - ХАУ через CAF.