4.  The applicant was born in 1948 and lives in Ashtarak, Armenia. 5.  In 2003 a presidential election was held in Armenia with its first and second rounds taking place on 19 February and 5 March respectively. The applicant acted as an authorised election assistant (վստահված անձ) for the main opposition candidate in this election. Following the first and second rounds of the election, a series of protest rallies were organised in Yerevan by the opposition parties. 6.  On 21 February 2003 the applicant participated in a demonstration held in Yerevan. 7.  On 22 February 2003 two police officers went to the applicant’s flat and took him to the Central District Police Department of Yerevan where an administrative case was initiated against him on account of his participation in the demonstration of 21 February 2003. 8.  On the same date, several hours later, the applicant was taken to the Kentron and Nork-Marash District Court of Yerevan (Երևան քաղաքի Կենտրոն և Նորք-Մարաշ համայնքների առաջին ատյանի դատարան). There he was brought before Judge H. who, after a brief hearing, sentenced the applicant under Article 180.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences (Վարչական իրավախախտումների վերաբերյալ ՀՀ օրենսգիրք – “the CAO”) to 15 days of administrative detention, finding that:
“On 21 February 2003 [the applicant] participated together with a group of people in an unauthorised demonstration in Yerevan.” 9.  The applicant was taken to a detention facility. 10.  The applicant alleged that he had been visited in the detention facility several days later by a Red Cross representative who had brought him a letter from his wife, to which he was not allowed to reply. 11.  The applicant further alleged that, on an unspecified date, his wife had verbally requested the District Court to review its decision. She had been notified by a letter of 25 February 2003 that the District Court had no such competence. 12.  On 27 February 2003 the applicant’s lawyer lodged an application with the General Prosecutor (ՀՀ գլխավոր դատախազ) requesting him to initiate an appeal against the decision of the District Court. The lawyer, apparently having received by mistake a copy of a decision taken in respect of a person convicted in a different administrative case, H.A., argued that the applicant had been unlawfully found guilty under Article 180.1 of the CAO and deprived of his liberty by a decision taken in respect of another person. 13.  On 1 March 2003 the President of the Criminal and Military Court of Appeal (ՀՀ քրեական և զինվորական գործերով վերաքննիչ դատարանի նախագահ) reviewed the applicant’s conviction, finding that:
“[The applicant, according to the decision of the District Court, was subjected to administrative detention] ... for the violation of the prescribed rules for organising and holding assemblies, demonstrations, street marches and rallies, namely on 21 February 2003 he participated in an unauthorised demonstration and street march, during which he violated public order.
Having familiarised myself with [the applicant’s] appeal and the materials concerning the administrative offence, I find that the penalty imposed on [the applicant] must be changed.” 14.  The President changed the penalty to an administrative fine of 1,000 Armenian drams (AMD) (approximately 1.5 euros (EUR) at the material time) and ordered the applicant’s release. On the same date the applicant was released from detention after he had served about seven days of his sentence. 15.  By a letter of 4 March 2003 the applicant’s lawyer was informed by the General Prosecutor’s Office (ՀՀ գլխավոր դատախազություն) that, on the basis of the applicant’s appeal, the penalty had been changed and the applicant had been released by decision of the Court of Appeal.