MOSCOW, March 12 (RAPSI, Vladimir Yaduta) – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Russia on Thursday to pay 15,000 euros in compensation to a soldier who had been humiliated after trying to escape from the army, reads a statement of the court.

The applicant, Mikhail Lyalyakin, was conscripted into the army in December 2006.

He made his first attempt to escape in June 2007, accompanied by a fellow junior sergeant. After being caught, they were taken back to the camp. A few day later they were brought on the parade ground and publically reprimanded by the battalion commander.

Lyalyakin claimed that they were made to stand naked in front of the other servicemen which was disputed by the military authorities.

The soldier also alleged in his application that he was repeatedly subjected to humiliating and abusive treatment by his
fellow soldiers following his return to the camp.

On June 7, Lyalyakin escaped again and managed to reach his family in the city of Nizhniy Novgorod.

Five rounds of investigation into the alleged abuse were conducted. However, no criminal case was opened.

Lyalyakin turned to the ECHR in May 2009.

The court ruled that the refusal of the authorities to open a criminal case following Lyalyakin’s complaint of ill-treatment had amounted to a failure to carry out an effective investigation.

The court also held that there was violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights.