According to Konstantin Bukovetsky, the police officers applied electric shocker against him during the apprehension and hit him several times with rubber truncheons.

Bukovetsky and lawyers with the Committee Against Torture representing his interests think that in his case the rights to freedom and personal integrity were violated (Articles 5, 6 and 11 of the Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms).

On 31 January 2021, Konstantin Bukovetsky was apprehended during the rally in support of Aleksey Navalny in Moscow. According to the man, the police officers applied electrical shocker against him and then made them stand hear the police truck in a “spreader” pose and his foot several times with a rubber truncheon. 

After the battery, Konstantin was taken to the police department for Kon’kovo District, from where he was released only at night. Later on the doctors diagnosed Bukovetsky with a swollen and contused lower thigh, as well as a thermal burn of the thigh.

In February, Bukovetsky submitted a crime report to the Investigative Committee. In November, after numerous applications from human rights defenders, a check with regard to the police officers started.

The Cheremushkinsky District Court brought Bukovetsky to administrative action for involvement in a non-authorized rally and fined him for 15 thousand rubles. This ruling was confirmed by the court of the appellate instance. At the same time, the prosecution side was not present in the case, the police officers who issued the reports based on which Bukovetsky was brought to responsibility were not questioned. 

“We were forced to submit an application with regard to the assumed violation of the rights in accordance with Articles 5, 6, 11 of the Convention with regard to our applicant Konstantin Bukovetsky (“right to freedom and personal integrity”, “right to fair trial”, “freedom of assembly and association”). At the present time, dozens if not hundreds of similar complaints concerning illegal actions of the state representatives during rallies, are submitted to the ECHR. Unfortunately, the tendency is such, that only if he applies to the ECHR will Konstantin be able to insist on restoring his rights”, — lawyer with the Committee Against Torture Mariya Zadorozhnaya commented on the situation.