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THIRD SECTION CASE OF UTIN AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA (Applications nos. 54784/16 and 41 others – see appended list)           JUDGMENT   STRASBOURG 10 November 2022       This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.   In the case of Utin and Others v. Russia, The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:  Darian Pavli, President,  Andreas Zünd,  Frédéric Krenc, judges, and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 20 October 2022, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE 1.  The case originated in applications against Russia lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table. 2.  The Russian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications. THE FACTS 3.  The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table. 4.  The applicants complained of the inadequate conditions of their detention. Some applicants also raised other complaints under the provisions of the Convention. THE LAW JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS 5.  Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 3 OF THE CONVENTION 6.  The applicants complained principally of the inadequate conditions of their detention. They relied on Article 3 of the Convention, which reads as follows: Article 3 “No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” 7.  The Court notes that the applicants were kept in detention in poor conditions. The details of the applicants’ detention are indicated in the appended table. The Court refers to the principles established in its case‑law regarding inadequate conditions of detention (see, for instance, Muršić v. Croatia [GC], no. 7334/13, §§ 96-177, 20 October 2016; Kudła v. Poland [GC], no. 30210/96, §§ 90‑94, ECHR 2000‑XI, and Ananyev and Others v. Russia, nos. 42525/07 and 60800/08, §§ 139‑65, 10 January 2012). It reiterates in particular that extreme lack of space in a prison cell or overcrowding weighs heavily as an aspect to be taken into account for the purpose of establishing whether the impugned detention conditions were “degrading” from the point of view of Article 3 and may disclose a violation, both alone or taken together with other shortcomings (see, amongst many authorities, Karalevičius v. Lithuania, no. 53254/99, §§ 36–40, 7 April 2005). 8.  In the leading case of Sergey Babushkin v. Russia, no. 5993/08, 28 November 2013, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case. 9.  Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion on the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the applicants’ conditions of detention, as described in the appended table below, were inadequate. 10.  These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 3 of the Convention. REMAINING COMPLAINTS 11.  In applications nos. 705/18, 4273/18, 10092/18 and 10379/18 the applicants submitted a complaint under Article 13 of the Convention. The Court does not consider it necessary to examine the complaint separately. 12.  In application no. 7977/18, the applicant also raised other complaints under Article 3 of the Convention. 13.  The Court has examined these complaints and considers that, in the light of all the material in its possession and in so far as the matters complained of are within its competence, these complaints either do not meet the admissibility criteria set out in Articles 34 and 35 of the Convention or do not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Convention or the Protocols thereto. It follows that this part of application 7977/18 must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4 of the Convention. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION 14.  Article 41 of the Convention provides: “If the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to the injured party.” 15.  Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see, in particular, Sergey Babushkin v. Russia, (just satisfaction), no. 5993/08, 16 October 2014, and Mozharov and Others v. Russia, no. 16401/12 and 9 others, 21 March 2017), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table. 16.  The Court further considers it appropriate that the default interest rate should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank, to which should be added three percentage points. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY, Decides to join the applications; Declares the complaints concerning the inadequate conditions of detention after conviction during the periods indicated in the appended table admissible, decides that it is not necessary to examine separately some of the applicants’ complaints under Article 13 of the Convention and declares the remainder of application no.  7977/18 inadmissible; Holds that these complaints disclose a breach of Article 3 of the Convention concerning the inadequate conditions of detention after conviction; Holds (a)  that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date of settlement; (b)  that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default during the default period plus three percentage points. Done in English, and notified in writing on 10 November 2022, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.    Viktoriya Maradudina Darian Pavli  Acting Deputy Registrar President       APPENDIX List of applications raising complaints under Article 3 of the Convention (inadequate conditions of detention after conviction) No. Application no. Date of introduction Applicant’s name Year of birth   Representative’s name and location Facility Start and end date Duration Inmates per brigade Sq. m per inmate Number of toilets per brigade Specific grievances Amount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant (in euros)[1]     54784/16 29/08/2016 Yuriy Nikolayevich UTIN     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 01/03/2010 - pending More than 12 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 2 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2.2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to toilet, insufficient time to eat 12,500     64023/16 25/10/2016 Vladimir Nikolayevich LEGENKOV     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod 01/07/2013 - pending More than 9 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 2 day(s) 2.2 m² overcrowding, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to warm water 12,500     44936/17 22/05/2017 Igor Viktorovich ISACHENKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod 28/05/2012 - pending More than 10 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 6 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2.2 m² 6 toilet(s) no or restricted access to warm water, lack or inadequate furniture, no leisure room, no household room, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, lack of winter clothes and shoes, lack of blankets, insufficient time for taking food, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities 12,500     71433/17 22/09/2017 Andrey Leonidovich LAPIN     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod Region 26/12/2006 - pending More than 15 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 8 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.3-2.5 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, lack or inadequate furniture 12,500     75962/17 17/10/2017 Viktor Sergeyevich NOVIKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 22/05/2006 - pending More than 16 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 12 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2.2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities 12,500     75965/17 16/10/2017 Vasiliy Vasilyevich TSYPLYAKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 10/07/2006 - pending More than 16 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 24 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2.2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities 12,500     80171/17 13/11/2017 Sergey Viktorovich PEREVEZENTSEV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region (cell type facilities) 01/04/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 2 day(s) 6 inmate(s) 2 m² 1 toilet(s) lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light, overcrowding, passive smoking 12,500     82128/17 27/11/2017 Feliks Mairbekovich SOVLOKHOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod (PKT, disciplinary ward, strict regime cameras) 25/05/2016 - pending More than 6 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 9 day(s) 2.5 m² lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, overcrowding, bunk beds, passive smoking, lack of privacy for toilet, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to potable water 12,500     83266/17 25/11/2017 Stanislav Viktorovich MIKHALEV     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod Region 18/12/2012 - pending More than 9 year(s) and 10 month(s) 6 inmate(s) 2.5 m² 1 toilet(s) overcrowding, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of fresh air, passive smoking, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, lack of requisite medical assistance, lack or inadequate furniture 12,500   705/18 05/12/2017 Dmitriy Mikhaylovich KOSAREV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod region 19/01/2015 - pending More than 7 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 15 day(s)   lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to shower, lack or insufficient quantity of food, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to toilet, overcrowding, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air 12,500   1019/18 07/12/2017 Anatoliy Grigoryevich GRINEVICH     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 21/01/2016 - pending More than 6 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 13 day(s) 145 inmate(s) 2.3 m² 6 toilet(s) lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of requisite medical assistance, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to toilet 12,500   2252/18 07/12/2017 Roman Aleksandrovich BOGDANOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 02/05/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 1 day(s) 145 inmate(s) 2.2 m² no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, overcrowding in the kitchen, inadequate temperature, lack of requisite medical assistance, the applicant lives in educative room, poor quality of food 12,500   3051/18 19/12/2017 Vladislav Igorevich PINDYURIN     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod Region 01/03/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 2 day(s) 2.2 m² overcrowding, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, lack of requisite medical assistance, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, no or restricted access to shower, lack of winter clothing 12,500   3053/18 12/12/2017 Andrey Sergeyevich PEKAREV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 30/10/2017 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 4 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2.2-2.6 m² no or restricted access to toilet, lack of fresh air 12,500   4273/18 10/12/2017 Andrey Aleksandrovich BORISOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 01/10/2013 - pending More than 8 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 2 day(s) 120 inmate(s) 2 m² overcrowding, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents 12,500   4571/18 25/12/2017 Andrey Grigoryevich GEORGIYEVSKIY     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 20/04/2012 - pending More than 10 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 14 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.2-2.5 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, lack of fresh air, poor quality of food 12,500   5329/18 25/12/2017 Anton Albertovich ZAMORKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 06/02/2012 - pending More than 10 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 28 day(s) 135 inmate(s) 2.3-2.5 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, no warm clothes and footwear provided for wintertime 12,500   7977/18 24/01/2018 Olimdzhon Khomidovich SAIDAKHMADOV     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod Region 04/07/2016 - pending More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 30 day(s) 2.1 m² overcrowding, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of requisite medical assistance, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents 12,500   8756/18 05/02/2018 Sadrutdin Sakhavatovich SAKHAVATOV     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod Region 01/07/2013 -pending More than 9 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 2 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.1-2.3 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, inadequate number of toilets and wash basins 12,500   10092/18 29/01/2018 Andrey Sergeyevich ALESHIN     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 29/08/2011 -pending More than 11 year(s) and 5 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.1-2.3 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents 12,500   10379/18 03/12/2017 Zaur Mursalovich ALIYEV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 01/04/2014 - pending More than 8 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 2 day(s) 2 m² lack of fresh air, overcrowding, infestation of cell with insects/rodents 12,500   11742/18 20/02/2018 Viktor Konstantinovich KARSAKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 01/02/2012 - pending More than 10 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 2 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, lack of fresh air 12,500   13624/18 16/02/2018 Soslan Kazbekovich YESIYEV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 10/11/2014 - pending More than 7 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 24 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2.3 m² 6 toilet(s) poor quality of food, inadequate clothing 12,500   14219/18 05/03/2018 Mikhail Mikhaylovich GAGARIN     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 12/10/2017 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 22 day(s) 2 m² overcrowding, lack of fresh air, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air 12,500   14410/18 23/05/2018 Marat Rafitovich AKHTAMZYANOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 27/11/2007 - pending More than 14 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 7 day(s) 135 inmate(s) 2.37 m² 6 toilet(s) no or restricted access to warm water, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, poor quality of food 12,500   15851/18 13/03/2018 Yuriy Lvovich LANSHIN     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 20/02/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 14 day(s) 145 inmate(s) 2.1 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, lack of fresh air, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents 12,500   16100/18 21/03/2018 Aleksandr Viktorovich ISAYEV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 31/05/2016 -pending More than 6 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 3 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, mouldy or dirty cell 12,500   17140/18 26/03/2018 Dmitriy Vladimirovich MAYSYUK     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod 30/06/2016 - pending More than 6 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 4 day(s) 140 inmate(s) 2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, sharing cells with inmates infected with contagious disease, lack of fresh air, lack of requisite medical assistance 12,500   18779/18 02/04/2018 Ivan Ivanovich LENDEL     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 03/08/2015 - pending More than 7 year(s) and 1 month(s) 137 inmate(s) 2.2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of fresh air 12,500   19889/18 13/04/2018 Vladimir Vladimirovich GAVRILOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 04/07/2016 - pending More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 30 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.3-2.5 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, lack or insufficient quantity of food, failure to provide warm clothes and footwear for winter, insufficient number of toilets and wash basins 12,500   20437/18 11/04/2018 Fyarit Ravilyevich KARAYEV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 19/06/2017 to 27/11/2017 5 month(s) and 9 day(s)     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod 25/12/2017 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 9 day(s) 100 inmate(s) 2 m² 7 toilet(s)         100 inmate(s) 2 m² 7 toilet(s) poor quality of food, overcrowding             overcrowding, poor quality of food 12,500   21498/18 25/04/2018 Igor Petrovich MAKAROV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 28/08/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 6 day(s) 2 m² lack of fresh air, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of privacy for toilet, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to toilet, overcrowding, poor quality of food 12,500   22632/18 18/06/2018 Roman Viktorovich POPOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 25/11/2014 - pending More than 7 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 9 day(s) 2 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, poor quality of food, sharing cells with inmates infected with contagious disease, lack of or insufficient electric light 12,500   23160/18 03/05/2018 Ilsur Ilkamovich ZARIPOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 27/02/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 7 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2 m² 6 toilet(s) lack of fresh air, sharing cells with inmates infected with contagious disease, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of food 12,500   23389/18 03/05/2018 Roman Viktorovich MOSKALEV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 26/05/2017 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 8 day(s) 120 inmate(s) 2.5 m² 6 toilet(s) poor quality of food, overcrowding, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents 12,500   31321/18 09/06/2018 Anton Vladimirovich ISAKOV     IK-11 Nizhny Novgorod Region 17/11/2017 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 17 day(s) 2.3 m² overcrowding, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of fresh air, lack of requisite medical assistance, cracking walls 12,500   31325/18 09/06/2018 Sergey Gennadiyevich NOVICHKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 04/09/2017 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 30 day(s) 2.3 m² overcrowding, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of fresh air, poor quality of food 12,500   31457/18 19/06/2018 Maksim Vladimirovich SAVCHENKO Zhiltsov Sergey Valeryevich Bor IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 23/02/2018 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 11 day(s) 2 m² overcrowding, lack of requisite medical assistance, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of fresh air, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack or inadequate furniture 12,500   31740/18 09/06/2018 Sergey Vladimirovich ILYIN     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 21/11/2016 - pending More than 5 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 13 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.3 m² 6 toilet(s) overcrowding, lack of fresh air, lack of requisite medical assistance, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to toilet, poor quality of food, infestation of cell with insects/rodents   12,500   33133/18 27/06/2018 Dmitriy Yuryevich YABLOKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 04/06/2018 - pending More than 4 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 30 day(s) 28 inmate(s) 2 m² overcrowding, poor quality of food, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, constant electric light, lack of or insufficient electric light   12,500   33494/18 27/06/2018 Zakar Ashotovich GALUSTYAN     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 02/04/2016 - pending More than 6 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 1 day(s) 2 m² lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, no or restricted access to toilet, poor quality of food 12,500   34903/18 06/07/2018 Valentin Sergeyevich CHIZHENKOV     IK-11 Nizhniy Novgorod Region 13/11/2011 - pending More than 10 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 21 day(s) 130 inmate(s) 2.5 m² 6 toilet(s) no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, inadequate clothing 12,500     [1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.