Navalny files complaint with European Court of Human Rights over Russia’s refusal to investigate his poisoning

Opposition figure Alexey Navalny has had his legal defense file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the Russian authorities refusing to open a case on his poisoning, his lawyer Olga Mikhailova told MBX Media. 

According to Mikhailova, Navalny’s complaint demands the acknowledgement that refusing to investigate his poisoning constitutes a violation of article 2 of the European Convention — right to life. Mikhailova confirmed that the ECHR has accepted the complaint and given it priority. 

On October 30, the Kirovsky District Court in Tomsk ruled against compelling state investigators to open a case on Navalny’s poisoning. The lawsuit demanding the launch of a criminal case was filed by Navalny’s non-profit, the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

The court also dismissed the FBK’s complaint (contained in the same lawsuit) about the inaction of transit police officials in Tomsk, Interfax reports, citing the Tomsk district court’s press service. 

Investigators from the Transit Police Department for Russia’s Siberian Federal District opened a preliminary inquiry after Navalny’s hospitalization in Omsk on August 20. In September, police investigators reported that they had found no signs of intentional harm to Navalny’s health.

Also in September, the Moscow’s Basmanny Court refused to satisfy another FBK complaint over the inaction of Russia’s federal-level Investigative Committee. The non-profit had appealed to federal investigators to open a case on Navalny’s poisoning, but allegedly did not receive a response from the department in due time. During the trial, it was revealed that federal investigators had forwarded the FBK’s complaint to the Western Siberian branch of the Investigative Committee on Transit.