Natig Jafarov v Azerbaijan: persecution of political activists in Azerbaijan

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Natig Jafarov v Azerbaijan: persecution of political activists in Azerbaijan

The applicant, Natig Mehman oglu Jafarov is a co-founder of the political movement Republican Alternative Civic Movement (REAL). In 2016 REAL launched a campaign against amendments to the Constitution envisaged by a draft Referendum Act. In August 2016 Mr Jafarov was arrested on the criminal charges of illegal entrepreneurship and aggravated use of power. The ECtHR found a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment), Article 5 (rights to liberty and security) and Article 18 (limitation on use of restriction on rights).

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Sarban v Republic of Moldova: violations of the applicant's rights to liberty and security

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Sarban v Republic of Moldova: violations of the applicant's rights to liberty and security

Mr. Sarban was detained in the remand centre of the Centre for Fighting Economic Crime and Corruption (CFECC) between 12th November 2004 and 19th January 2005 for alleged abuse of power in relation to a purchase of 40 ambulances by the Chişinău Mayoralty. A CFECC officer later stated that the case against the applicant had been fabricated for political reasons. Mr. Sarban made numerous appeals for release based on his bad state of health, his irreproachable conduct during the investigation and the unlikelihood of his leaving the country. They were all refused by the courts.

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Killings, torture and other physical abuse carried out by Bulgarian police

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Killings, torture and other physical abuse carried out by Bulgarian police

Since 2002 the European Court of Human Rights has issued over 30 judgments finding abuse carried out by Bulgarian state officials - or a failure to investigate allegations of such abuse. The majority of the cases concern deaths, torture and other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and lack of medical assistance during arrest and in custody, as well as inadequate investigations.

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Failure to investigate alleged ill-treatment by police officials in Croatia: the Durdevic case

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Failure to investigate alleged ill-treatment by police officials in Croatia: the Durdevic case

On 16th June 2009, Danijel Đurđević—alongside his mother Katica Đurđević—were brutally beaten. They alleged that the attack had been carried out by Croatian police.

In its judgment, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the state had failed in its duty to carry out an investigation into allegations of ill-treatment by state officials. The state attorney general had lacked both transparency and independence.

The allegation of police ill-treatment has still never been properly investigated - along with three other similar cases, where violations were found by the European Court.

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