Feedback The European Court of Human Rights recognized lack of effective independent investigation on death of Roma woman in Pskov police station and awarded her husband and son a compensation.
3 May 2012 the European Court of Human Rights pronounced judgement on case of ‘Klein and Alexandrovich versus Russia’. The complaint was lodged by Alexander Klein, an employee of ADC ‘Memorial’, on case of death of his wife and mother of son Roman at Pskov police station. Legal support was exercised by lawyer Olga Tseitlina and European Roma Rights Centre.
20 May, 2002 Alexandrovich, a declarant’s wife, Roma woman, was detained and brought to a police station in Pskov. The same day she was found dead at the back yard of the police station – according to version of formal investigation she committed a suicide jumping out of the window. Policemen declared that it was a suicide and did everything not to investigate this case. It is well known that there were injuries on a dead body that couldn’t be caused by falling, and were all reasons to find her a victim of violence and recognize that she was killed to cover up tracks of violence. In this situation authorities had to do all to carry out independent effective investigation, but nothing was done in fact. By the time the lawyer appeared in this case, many evidences were lost due to authorities’ desire to hide real circumstances of the case. It made impossible to prove the murder took place at the police station.
After death of his wife the declarant of the case remained with a two-year old child and only now, 10 years later, got €20.000 compensation and legal reimbursement.
The Court recognized that Russia didn’t fulfil a duty to carry out independent effective investigation on cases of death of detained people at police stations. Unfortunately, the Court didn’t recognize violation of substantial right of life, as there were not enough evidence to prove the murder happened at the police station. But the fact that the Court recognized violation of legal aspect of article 2 of European convention shows that Russian authorities are not interested in carrying out effective and independent investigation in cases when violation of right of life takes place at a police station.