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European Court Sides With Russian Airline Executive

The Russian government has been ordered to compensate a former airline executive for inhuman and degrading treatment suffered during his imprisonment for fraud.

The European Court of Human Rights awarded Igor Strelets, former Volga-Avia Express vice-president, 21,000 rubles ($665) for the way he was treated following his 2003 arrest for fraud and forging documents, the court said in a news release.

Strelets, who was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in 2005 but was later released on probation, had originally sought 200,000 euros ($256,000) under Articles 3 (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment), 4 (prohibition of slavery and forced labor) and 5 (right to liberty and security) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Strelets' complaints included being deprived of food and sleep during his arrest. He said his detention was unlawful and wasn't subject to a speedy judicial review.

The court upheld several complaints but dismissed Strelets' claim relating to his detention between Nov. 30, 2004, and June 7, 2005.

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