Russia's Supreme Court recognizes arrest of Bolotnaya case defendant Savyolov unlawful in line with ECHR decision
MOSCOW. Oct 5 (Interfax) - The Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia has upheld the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), ruling that the arrest and further incarceration of Artyom Savyolov, a defendant in the so-called Bolotnaya case, were unlawful.
"Invalidate the Basmanny District Court resolution dated August 9, 2012, alongside all further resolutions," the chairman of the court presidium's board announced in the decision.
Deputy Prosecutor General Sergei Fridinsky requested the Supreme Court at the hearing to invalidate the order on Savyolov's arrest in implementation of the ECHR decision.
It was reported earlier that on September 17, 2016, the ECHR ruled that Russia ought to pay compensations to three defendants in the criminal case opened following the mass riots that took place in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012. The ECHR ruled that Russian authorities are to pay Leonid Kovyazin and Ilya Gushchin 2,000 euros each, also awarding 3,000 euros to Artyom Savyolov.
The Bolotnaya Square protest, which was agreed on in advance with the Moscow city administration, took place on May 6, 2012. It grew into clashes between protesters and police. More than 400 people were detained following the clashes. On the same day, criminal proceedings were launched under Article 212 ('calls for mass riots') and Article 318 ('use of violence against an authority') of the Russian Criminal Code. In January 2013, this criminal case was consolidated with the case of plotting of mass disorders in Russia. More than 30 people became defendants in the case.