The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will examine Alexey Pichugin’s case at its June 4 session

June 2, 2020

This week, at its June 4 session, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will examine Alexey Pichugin’s case. In view of the extraordinary circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the daylong session will be held virtually.

The Memorial International Human Rights Centre asked the Council of Europe to follow up on Russia failing to heed the European Court of Human Rights judgments related to former Yukos staffer Alexey Pichugin. Such an [infringement] proceeding, introduced 10 years ago, was used just once, in the case of the Azeri opposition leader Ilgar Mammadov, resulting in his parole.

In its two judgments issued in 2012 and 2017 in Pichugin’s cases, ECHR found violations of the right to a fair trial (Article 6 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) during criminal proceedings against Alexey Pichugin. When ECHR establishes a violation of this right, the most effective means of redress is to annul the verdict and hold a trial de novo that corrects the initial trial’s shortcomings. However, as regards Alexey Pichugin, the Russian Supreme Court refused to do it both times.

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