Finogenov and Others v. Russia (nos. 18299/03 and 27311/03)

The case concerns the hostage-taking in Moscow in the “Dubrovka” theatre in October 2002 and the hostages’ liberation by the Russian security forces. The 64 applicants include people who were taken hostage and relatives of people killed during the events.  While liberating the hostages, the security forces used an unknown gas which, according to the applicants, killed or severely injured not only the terrorists but a large number of
hostages. Relying on Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 (prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment), the applicants complain of the disproportionate use of force by the security forces, the lack of medical assistance to the hostages and the failure to conduct an effective investigation in this respect.

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The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights.