The applicant complained, inter alia, that he had been ill-treated during arrest and in police custody in breach of Article 3 of the Convention and that his arrest and conviction for having allegedly organised a public disorder during an unauthorised demonstration had infringed his rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the Convention.

The applicant’s complaints were communicated to the Government, who submitted their observations on the admissibility and merits. The observations were forwarded to the applicant, who was invited to submit his own observations. No reply was received to the Registry’s letter.

...

For these reasons, the Court unanimously

Decides to strike the application out of its list of cases.

6.  The applicant was born in 1981 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan and is currently detained in a remand facility in Baku awaiting extradition to Uzbekistan. He holds a valid Uzbek passport and is considered to be a national of Uzbekistan by both the Azerbaijani and Uzbek authorities. The applicant, however, also claims to be an Azerbaijani national (see below).

7.  The applicant’s father, Firudin Garayev, of Azerbaijani ethnic origin, was born in 1953 in Beylagan, Azerbaijan. The applicant’s mother, Olima Garayeva, of Uzbek ethnic origin, was born in 1960 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. The applicant had an elder brother, Jeyhun Garayev, and a younger sister, Nargiz Garayeva. The family was living in Bukhara, Uzbekistan at the time the events described below took place...

B.  Proceedings related to the applicant’s extradition

24.  As mentioned above, the applicant has been living in Azerbaijan since 27 November 2001. It appears from the case file that the applicant entered the territory of Azerbaijan legally with his Uzbek passport. However, he had been entitled to stay in Azerbaijan for ninety days only and it appears that after this period he continued to live there without a residence permit.

25.  On 9 April 2008 the applicant was arrested by the police in Beylagan on the basis of a search warrant issued by the Uzbek authorities.

26.  On 10 April 2008 the Beylagan District Court ordered the applicant’s detention with a view to extraditing him. The Beylagan District Court relied on the Bukhara Regional Court’s detention order of 20 November 2001 and confirmed its findings. No fixed term for detention was specified, and it was noted that the applicant would be detained until an extradition decision had been given. The decision of the Beylagan District Court was subject to an appeal within three days of its delivery. However, the applicant did not appeal against that decision.

6.  The applicant was born in 1956 and lives in Sweden.

7.  On 26 February 1996 the applicant arrived in Russia from Azerbaijan. In April 2001 he asked the St. Petersburg City Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to grant him refugee status. Four months later refugee status was granted and the applicant was informed of his right to move to Sweden.

8.  On 10 September 2001 the acting chief of the Gyandzha Town police department of the Republic of Azerbaijan faxed a letter to the chief of the St. Petersburg City police department asking him to arrest the applicant. The letter read as follows:

"[We] seek your order to arrest a criminal, [the applicant], wanted by us for having committed a crime (theft of State property) under Article 88-1 of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic... criminal case no. 10/295. The arrest warrant and order for transport were issued on 29 May 1995 by the first deputy military prosecutor of the Azerbaijan Republic.”

A translation of the arrest warrant of 29 May 1995 was attached to the letter.

9.  On 13 September 2001 the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation received a letter from the Moscow Regional Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, informing him about the applicant’s refugee status. The letter read as follows:

"The Regional Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the Russian Federation applies to you in connection with the case of Mr Gunduz Eminbeyli, which was examined by the UNHCR in July 2001, as a result of which [the applicant] was granted refugee status and was considered in need of international protection under the UNHCR mandate in the territory of the Russian Federation.

In August 2001 Sweden accepted [the applicant] as a refugee with permanent leave to remain, in support of which he was given a travel document and issued with an entry visa for that country.

As it follows from the information obtained by us, a federal search warrant was issued in respect of [the applicant] on the basis of the fact that the Azeri authorities accused him of having committed criminal actions; the [accusation] prevents him from leaving the Russian Federation.

Due to the fact that [the applicant] is a proxy of the former Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Mr S. Guseynov, who subsequently became a leader of the opposition to the Government of Mr G. Alieyev in Azerbaijan, and due to the fact that he worked with an Azeri national, Mr Z. Ismaylov, whose case was examined by the Prosecutor General’s office last summer, the UNHCR has grounds to conclude that the true reasons for the warrant issued by the Azeri authorities are [the applicant’s] work with and close ties to the above-mentioned Azeri political figures.

As we were informed by the St. Petersburg City Department of Visas and Registration where [the applicant] lives and with whom he lodged his application for a visa, the Azeri authorities lodged a request for [the applicant’s] extradition.

The UNHCR is concerned that if [the applicant] is expelled to Azerbaijan, there will be a danger of a violation of Article 33 § 1 of the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees... and of the Russian Law of 25 October 1999... by the Russian Federation. Article 33 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees forbids an expulsion of persons to a country where their lives and freedom will be threatened by a persecution on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”

The UNHCR Representation in Moscow sent a similar letter to the St. Petersburg City Prosecutor.

10.  On 19 September 2001 police officers arrested the applicant pursuant to the faxed letter of 10 September 2001 and placed him in the temporary detention unit of the St. Petersburg City and Leningrad Region Department of the Interior (ИВС при ГУВД города Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области). A police investigator issued a report on the applicant’s arrest. The report represented a two-page printed template, in which the dates, the applicant’s name, and the grounds for his arrest were filled in by hand...

The applicant, Mr Adil Yusubov, is an Azerbaijani national who was born in 1956 and lives in Baku. He is represented before the Court by Mr S. Muxtarov, a lawyer practising in Baku. The Azerbaijani Government ("the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr Ç. Asgarov.

The applicant complained under Article 6 of the Convention that the decision of the Baku Court of Appeal refusing his application for release on health grounds was unlawful. Without invoking any provision of the Convention, the applicant complained of the authorities’ failure to ensure that he was provided with adequate medical treatment and about their refusal to release him.

The applicant’s complaints concerning the authorities’ alleged failure to ensure that he was provided with adequate medical treatment were communicated to the Government, who submitted their observations on the admissibility and merits. The observations were forwarded to the applicant, who was invited to submit observations in reply. No reply was received to the Court’s letter.

By letter dated 13 April 2011, sent by registered post, the applicant’s representative was notified that the period allowed for submission of his observations had expired on 1 March 2011 and that no extension of time-limit had been requested. The applicant’s representative’s attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, which provides that the Court may strike a case out of its list of cases where the circumstances lead to the conclusion that the applicant does not intend to pursue the application. The applicant’s representative received this letter on 27 April 2011. However, no response has been received.

The applicant, Mr Gadir Musayev, is an Azerbaijani national who was born in 1969 and lives in Bilasuvar.

He was represented before the Court by Mr I. Ashurov, a lawyer practising in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Government ("the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr Ç. Asgarov.

The applicant complained under Articles 5, 6 §§ 1 and 3 (a), (b), (c) and (d), 7 and 13 of the Convention about his pre-trial detention and that the criminal proceedings against him had been fabricated and unfair owing to a number of procedural shortcomings.

The application was communicated to the Government, who submitted their observations on the admissibility and merits. The observations were forwarded to the applicant, who was invited to submit his own observations. No reply was received to the Court’s letter.

By a letter dated 15 September 2011, sent by registered post, the applicant’s representative was notified that the period allowed for submission of his observations had expired on 19 August 2011 and that no extension of time had been requested. The applicant’s representative’s attention was drawn to Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention, which provides that the Court may strike a case out of its list of cases where the circumstances lead to the conclusion that the applicant does not intend to pursue the application. The applicant’s representative received this letter on 28 September 2011.

On 6 October 2011 the applicant’s representative replied that the applicant had severed contacts with him and that, despite many efforts, he had been unable to locate the applicant and re-establish contact with him.

I. İşin halları

 5. Ərizəçi 1957-ci ildə anadan olmuş, Bakı şəhərində yaşayır. Siyasi dairələrdə daha çox Sərdar Cəlal oğlu kimi tanınır, Azərbaycan Demokratik Partiyasının Baş katibi olmuşdur. Bu partiya 15 oktyabr 2003-cü ildə keçirilən prezident seçkilərini saxtakarlıq iddiası ilə qanunsuz hesab edən müxalifət partiyalarından biri olmuşdur.

 A. Ərizəçinin həbs olunması

 6. 16 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixdə bir sıra müxalifət tərəfdarları Bakının mərkəzindəki Azadlıq meydanında razılaşdırılmamış nümayişlər keçirərək, seçkinin nəticələrinə öz etirazlarını bildirmişlər. Nümayişlər ictimai asayişin pozulması və polis ilə kütlə arasında kəskin toqquşmalar ilə nəticələnmişdir. Ərizəçi iddia etmişdir ki, o, birbaşa olaraq həmin nümayişlərdə iştirak etməmişdir.

 7. Ərizəçinin iddiasına əsasən, 18 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixdə, axşam saat 6 ilə 7 arasında maskalı və Kalaşnikov markalı avtomatlarla silahlanmış bir neçə polis nəfəri onun qapısına gəlmiş, qapının açılmasını tələb etmişlər. Ərizəçiyə bunu etməyə macal vermədən, onların üçü, yaxud dördü mənzilə pəncərədən daxil olmuşlar. Həbs haqqında qərar, yaxud digər sənəd olmadan polis əməkdaşları onu və onun qonağını — N.C. adlı şəxsi qandallamışlar. Bundan sonra polis əməkdaşları onları mənzildən sürükləyib çıxararaq, polis maşınına yerləşdirmişlər. Ərizəçi və N.C. adlı şəxs Daxili İşlər Nazirliyinin Mütəşəkkil Cinayətkarlığa qarşı Mübarizə İdarəsinə (bundan sonra «MCQMİ») aparılmışlar.

 8. Bundan sonra ərizəçi MCQMİ-nin otaqlarından birində təxminən dörd saat ərzində qandallı vəziyyətdə saxlanılmışdır. Ərizəçinin vəkili oraya gələrək, ərizəçinin həbsinin səbəblərini öyrənməyə cəhd göstərdikdə, MCQMİ-nin rəisi ona səbəblərin ertəsi gün deyiləcəyini bildirmişdir.

 B. Ərizəçi MCQMİ-yə gətirildikdən sonra baş vermiş hadisələr

 9. Həmin gün ərizəçi müvəqqəti saxlama yeri kimi istifadə olunmuş MCQMİ-nin binasının zirzəmisinə yerləşdirilmişdir. Orada saxlama yerinin rəhbərinin otağında ərizəçiyə bir neçə polis əməkdaşının qarşısında lüt soyunmaq əmr olunmuşdu. Polis əməkdaşları onun bədəninə baxış keçirərək xəsarət alıb-almamağını yoxlamış, heç bir xəsarət müşahidə olunmamışdır. Bundan sonra o, növbəti günün səhərinədək iki digər saxlanılan şəxslə birgə kameraya yerləşdirilmişdir. 

10. Ertəsi gün, 19 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixdə saat 12:00 ilə 13:00 arasında ərizəçi Baş Prokurorluğun İstintaq İdarəsinə aparılaraq, vəkilin iştirakı ilə dindirilmişdir. Dindirmədən sonra ona 16 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixli hadisələrdə iddia edilən roluna görə «kütləvi iğtişaşların təşkili» və «dövlət rəsmilərinə qarşı zorakılıqdan istifadə olunması» ilə bağlı ittiham elan olunmuşdur. Ərizəçinin dediyinə görə, o, MCQMİ-yə aparılarkən və polisdə saxlanılması zamanı pis rəftara məruz qalması barədə müstəntiqə şifahi şəkildə bildirmişdir. 

11. Həmin gün saat 16.00-da Nəsimi rayon məhkəməsi ərizəçinin barəsində üç ay müddətinə həbs qətimkan tədbirinin seçilməsi haqqında qərar vermişdir. Həmin qərar Apellyasiya Məhkəməsinin 28 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixli qərarı ilə qüvvədə saxlanılmışdır. 

12. Ərizəçi Nəsimi rayon məhkəməsindən MCQMİ-yə geri aparılaraq, orada 22 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixədək həmin kamerada digər iki şəxslə birgə saxlanılmışdır. 

13.19 oktyabr 2003-cü il tarixdə saat 18 radələrində ərizəçi MCQMİ-nin rəis müavininin otağına aparılmış və orada ona bildirilmişdir ki, onunla «əlavə dindirmə» keçirəcəklər. Ərizəçi ittiham elan edildikdən sonra polisin onu dindirməyə səlahiyyətinin olmadığını əsas gətirərək, dindirmənin aparılmasına etiraz etmişdir. Təxminən saat 22-yə qədər davam etmiş dindirmə onun üzv olduğu siyasi partiyanın fəaliyyəti ilə bağlı sualları əhatə etmişdir. 

14. Ərizəçinin dediyinə görə, dindirmə zamanı o, iki maskalı polis əməkdaşı tərəfindən dabanından dəyənəklə vurulmaqla və digər şəkildə pis rəftara məruz qalmışdır.

5.  The applicant was born in 1957 in Baku and is currently serving a life sentence in Gobustan Prison.
A.  The applicant’s criminal conviction and commutation of his sentence
6.  The applicant was a member of an organised criminal group which committed a series of robberies and murders in the Azerbaijan SSR, Russian SFSR and Georgian SSR between 1987 and 1989.
7.  On 12 November 1991 the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, sitting as the court of first instance, convicted the applicant of involvement in organised crime and premeditated murder. By way of a merger of sentences, the applicant was sentenced to death and confiscation of property. Being a decision of the highest tribunal, this judgment was final and was not subject to appeal at the material time.
8.  Following the conviction, the applicant was transferred to the 5th wing of Bayil Prison, designated for convicts sentenced to death. Despite the existence of the death penalty as a form of punishment under the criminal law applicable at that time, the Azerbaijani authorities had pursued a de facto policy of a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty from June 1993 until the abolition of the death penalty in 1998.
9.  On 10 February 1998 Parliament passed the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Correctional Labour Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan in connection with the Abolition of the Death Penalty in the Republic of Azerbaijan ("the Law of 10 February 1998”), which amended all the relevant domestic legal provisions, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment. The penalties of all convicts sentenced to death, including the applicant, were to be automatically commuted to life imprisonment.