5.  The applicant was born in 1975 and lives in Rubtsovsk, a town in the Altay Region. 6.  On an unspecified date the economic crimes bureau of the Barabinsk Town Police (Отдел по борьбе с экономическими преступлениями Барабинского городского ОВД по Новосибирской области – “the economic crimes bureau”) obtained information concerning the circulation of counterfeit money in town. Based on the above information and pursuant to Section 10 of the Operational-Search Activities Act the economic crimes bureau instituted operational proceedings (дело оперативного учета). 7.  In the course of the operational proceedings at issue the economic crimes bureau discovered incidents of forgery of official documents. 8.  Following the approval of the report on the operational-search activities conducted within the framework of the operational proceedings at issue, on 9 February 2002 in accordance with Section 8 of the Operational-Search Activities Act the Deputy Head of the Barabinsk Town Police decided to carry out a test purchase in the applicant’s flat. The reason for that decision had been the information that the applicant was involved in unlawful activity consisting in forgery of banknotes and official documents entitling its holders to certain benefits or exonerating them of duties and obligations. On the same day criminal proceedings were instituted against the applicant on suspicion of counterfeiting. 9.  On 10 February 2002 two plain-clothes police officers, K. and B., came to the applicant’s flat to carry out the test purchase. The officers said that they were a husband and wife wishing to obtain a copy of a high-school graduation certificate. The applicant invited the visitors to come in, scanned the documents handed over by the “husband”, then, at the “clients’” request, changed the name of the holder and certain grades. Then he made colour printouts and asked for 500 Russian roubles by way of payment. 10.  According to the applicant, when the “clients” were on their way out, a police squad and an investigator who had been waiting outside in the meantime burst into the applicant’s flat. 11.  According to the Government, after the test purchase had been completed the applicant saw the “clients” to the door, opened it, and the police officers who had been waiting outside in the meantime entered the flat. They showed their identification documents and informed the applicant of the purpose of their visit. After that the forgery of a document was reported to an investigator of the investigative department of the Barabinsk Town Police. When the investigator arrived to the applicant’s flat, the applicant’s wife opened the door. Upon her permission the investigator entered the flat. The applicant did not object to the investigator’s presence. After the attesting witnesses had been invited the investigator explained to the applicant and those present that there were reasons to believe that the applicant had committed forgery of an official document and expressed his will to conduct an investigative action – inspection of the crime scene. The applicant and his wife gave their consent. 12.  The investigator inspected the applicant’s flat as a crime scene and seized material evidence. In accordance with Article 182 of the RSFSR Code of Criminal Procedure he drew up a record of the inspection. The record attests to the fact that on 10 February 2002 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in accordance with Articles 178-179 of the Code and in the presence of two attesting witnesses, the applicant and his wife, the investigator carried out the inspection of the applicant’s flat. The record set out in detail the descriptions of the flat and the seized evidence (computer gear). 13.  Thereafter the applicant was taken to the police station where he was detained until 2 a.m. on 11 February 2002. 14.  On 15 February 2002 the investigator opened another criminal case against the applicant and charged him with forgery of official documents. 15.  The applicant brought a complaint against the police squad and the investigator, alleging that they had conducted an unlawful search of his premises, thus violating his right to respect for his home, and that they had frisked him and seized his belongings. In particular, the applicant complained that when police officers K. and B. were on their way out an armed squad burst into his flat, shouting and threatening. He was thrown to the floor his hands tightly tied behind his back and dealt several blows to his side and the lower part of his back. The squad frisked him and handcuffed him. Afterwards the applicant was informed that the armed persons were police. The attesting witnesses were called, and what the applicant believed to have been a search began, without any prior approval by the prosecutor. The “search” lasted about three hours. From the conversation of the police officers the applicant understood that they were searching for drugs and arms. After the “search” was over some of the applicant’s belongings were put in boxes and seized. Later the applicant was informed with the record of the investigative action in question, from which he learned that it had been an inspection of the crime scene. 16.  On 3 July 2002 the Barabinskiy District Court of the Novosibirsk Region rejected the applicant’s complaint as unsubstantiated. The court found as follows:
“... On 10 February 2002 the investigator [name] arrived at [the applicant’s address] in connection with information about the crime, where he conducted, with attesting witnesses, the inspection of the scene of the crime. The investigative action in question was registered in the record of inspection of the crime scene ... The above circumstance is confirmed by the record dated 10 February 2002; a statement by [the head of the police squad] in which he confirmed that ... following a signal from [police officer K.] the police squad arrested [the applicant]. [The investigator] arrived ten to fifteen minutes later and inspected the scene of the crime. [The above circumstance is further confirmed] by: statement of [police officer K.] in which he confirmed that after the test purchase was completed he informed the police squad accordingly through a radio transmitter, following which he came to the door, opened it, the police squad entered the flat and arrested [the applicant]; then [the investigator] was called and conducted the inspection of the scene of the crime; a statement by [a member of the police squad] who confirmed that on 10 February 2002 a test purchase was carried out; he and [two other members of the squad] were waiting for a signal from [police officer K.] to arrest [the applicant]. After the signal was received they entered the flat, then called the investigator, who entered the flat and conducted the inspection of the scene of the crime five minutes later; statements of [two attesting witness] who assisted at the inspection of [the applicant’s] flat.
On the basis of the above, taking into account that [the investigator] arrived at [the applicant’s address] at the scene of the crime, the actions of [the investigator] do not indicate that there was an unlawful entry to a dwelling.
The RSFSR Code of Criminal Procedure did not oblige the investigator to hand over the record of the inspection to [the applicant].
In accordance with Articles 178 and 179 of the RSFSR Code of Criminal Procedure during the inspection [the investigator] had the right to seize the uncovered traces of crime and other physical evidence. At that [the applicant’s] participation was not obligatory.
It has not been established that [the investigator] body-searched [the applicant].
...”
As regards the applicant’s allegations in so far as they concerned the actions of the police squad, the court indicated that the applicant had failed to follow the procedure established by law for challenging police actions (namely, the Police Act and the Law on complaints about actions and decisions impinging upon the rights and freedoms of citizens) and refused to examine the relevant part of the complaint on the merits. 17.  On 11 September 2002 the Novosibirsk Regional Court upheld the decision of 3 July 2002 on appeal. 18.  On 23 August 2007 the Barabinskiy District Court of the Novosibirsk Region convicted the applicant. It is unclear whether the applicant appealed against the judgment.