The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe called on RF authorities to free Alexey Pichugin

March 12, 2022

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe called on RF authorities to urgently stop violating political prisoner Alexey Pichugin’s rights and take measures to free him.

The Committee of Ministers’ decision notes that the European Court established in its first judgment regarding Pichugin, in particular, a violation of his right to a fair trial. Pichugin’s verdicts were upheld despite the European Court’s conclusions, and Applicant (Pichugin) continues to suffer serious negative consequences as the unfair criminal proceedings against him resulted in a life sentence.

The decision notes with profound regret that, despite the Committee’s repeated calls since 2016 on the RF authorities to find alternative avenues to secure full redress for the Applicant, no such avenues were found, and his latest request for a presidential pardon has been denied.

The Committee of Ministers underlined that the Applicant has been waiting for redress since 2013, and thus exhorted the RF authorities to find, as a matter of urgency, alternative avenues to secure redress for the violations found by the Court in these cases, including by considering the adoption of measures to ensure Alexey Pichugin’s release. Russian authorities are to inform the Committee of their conclusions no later than June 30, 2021.

The Committee of Ministers decided to resume examination of cases involving Alexey Pichugin at its September 2021 meeting.

Source: Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decision