Human Rights Guide

Case

Shtukaturov v. Russia

European Court of Human Rights
27 March 2008

Facts

By a court decision the applicant, Mr. Shtukaturov, was found legally incapable and kept in a psychiatric hospital. He was not allowed to meet or communicate in any other way with his lawyer. This prohibition delayed the submission of the application to the European Court of Human Rights.

Complaint

The applicant claimed that by preventing him from meeting his lawyer in private for a long period of time his right to individual petition under Article 34 of the Convention had been violated.

Court's ruling

The Court pointed out that the restrictions on communication made it almost impossible for Mr. Shtukaturov to pursue his case before the Court, although the national authorities had been aware that the case had been initiated. Therefore, the Court ruled that the authorities, by restricting Mr. Shtukaturov’s contact with the outside world to such an extent, had interfered with his rights under Article 34 of the Convention.

Human Rights Guide

A European platform for human rights education