M.S.A. AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA - 29957/14 (Judgment : Violation of Prohibition of torture (Degrading treatment Inhuman treatment) (Substantive aspect) Viol...)

The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:

The case originated in nine applications (nos. 29957/14, 29961/14, 53980/15, 10583/16, 10796/16, 10803/16, 19980/16, 35675/16 and 38237/16 ) against the Russian Federation lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (�the Convention�) by twelve Syrian nationals. The details of the applicants� individual cases are set out in the Appendix.

The Russian Government (�the Government�) were represented initially by Mr G. Matyushkin, the Representative of the Russian Federation to the European Court of Human Rights, and then by his successor in that office, Mr M. Galperin.

On various dates the Court decided to indicate to the Russian Government, under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, that the applicants should not be expelled to Syria for the duration of the proceedings before the Court. The applicants� cases were also granted priority (under Rule 41) and confidentiality (under Rule 33), and the applicants were granted anonymity (under Rule 47 � 4).

On 16 June 2017 the Government was informed that the Court envisaged assigning the applications to a Committee of three judges. On 30 June 2017 the Government objected to the applications being examined by a Committee. After considering the Government�s objection, the Court rejected it. In accordance with Article 26 � 1 of the Convention as amended by Protocol No. 14, the applications were assigned to a Committee of three judges. It was also decided that the Committee would rule on the admissibility and merits of the applications at the same time.