ECtHR registers Igor Stenin’s complaint

The complaint, sent to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in connection with the verdict passed to Igor Stenin, the leader of the movement "Russians of Astrakhan", has been registered by the Court.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Igor Stenin had been sentenced to two years of colony-settlement for reposting of an article about the war in Ukraine in the social network. His defence tried to explain to the court that the point was in the comment of some other user to Igor Stenin’s entry.

Pavel Chikov, the head of the "Agora" international human rights group, has noted that his organization only is running about 30 cases at the ECtHR in the interests of those convicted for extremism.

Igor Stenin's defence believes that the court in Astrakhan had violated his right to the freedom of expression (Article 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR)).

Natalia Dobreva, one of Stenin's advocates, has noted that the charges against her client are not based on the law, as required by the ECHR.

"Secondly, his conviction is not necessary in a democratic society; and thirdly, imprisonment is a too harsh punishment," she said.

According to her version, the Russia’s Criminal Code and the federallaw on countering extremist activities have no clear definitions of the concepts "public appeals" and "extremist activities"; in this context, there remains possibility for arbitrary interpretation thereof and use "against all those who are uncomfortable for the authorities."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.