The European Court for Human Rights has taken the first decision on harassment count done in the Russian Army. Compensation of 10,000 Euro has been decided to be given to Evgeny Chember, who became invalid due to actions by the “old-timers”.   

He had his service in 2001 first in a military unit #5464 in the city of Kislovodsk, and then in a military unit #3025 (former 6794) in the city of Astrakhan. Evgeny Chember was regularly bashed in both places, and once an old-timer sergeant made the soldier squat several hundred times, allegedly because he had not done the barrack. As a result, Evgeny had to be taken to hospital with a heavy vertebral trauma.    

Then Evgeny Chember was recognized to have become an invalid and he had to be early discharged. The criminal case was dismissed, however, and the old-timers-torturers continued their service, while the defense ministry refused paying for the medical treatment of Evgeny. That made him apply to the Russian courts first and then to Strasburg.    

In Strasburg Russian representatives argued that the cause of Evgeny’s disability was not tortures suffered, but bad heredity. The fact his uncle had osteochondrosis,which was allegedly concealed by Evgeny during pre-service medical examination, was one of the key arguments.   

The European Court recognized violation of Article 3 of the European Convention, declaring the ban on tortures, and Article 13, saying about the right for effective legal protection.   

“Now one may say that we got international recognition of violence taking place in the Russian Army” said Olga MIkhailova, the lawyer of Evgeny Chember. “Unfortunately, those who suffered from it, they did not try to protect their rights in the European court. Now, considering this precedent, one may expect a flow of complaints made by other victims.”