5.  The applicant was born in 1978 and lives in Segezha, in the Republic of Karelia. 6.  On 27 September 2004 the applicant and three other men - L., Ls. and Pc. - visited the flat belonging to Bs. They met three women there, D., I. and Kh. All of them gathered in the kitchen and started drinking heavily. At some point, as was established later in the course of the trial, the applicant took D. against her will to another room and raped her. 7.  On 28 September 2004 the applicant was arrested. On 30 September 2004 the Segezha Town Court authorised his detention pending investigation and trial. Mr B., appointed as the applicant’s counsel, and the applicant attended the hearing. Neither of them appealed against the court order of 30 September 2004. 8.  On 1 December 2004 the Segezha Town Court fixed the first trial hearing for 14 December 2004. Ms P., who was an attorney at the time, was appointed to represent the applicant during the trial. 9.  On 1 March 2005 the Segezha Town Court held the last court hearing. According to the applicant, he was not notified in advance of the hearing which prevented him from preparing for it. The court found the applicant guilty of rape and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment. The applicant and his lawyer were present. The court based its findings, inter alia, on the testimonies provided by D., I., Bs., Kh. and Ls., and on physical and forensic evidence. D. testified that the applicant had pulled her out of the kitchen where they all had been drinking and taken her to another room where he had threatened, slapped and raped her. The other witnesses submitted that they had been drunk at the relevant time and could not provide an accurate account of the events of 27 September 2004. According to the forensic biological report, the traces of body fluids found on D.’s underwear could have belonged to the applicant. The applicant, but not his counsel, appealed. 10.  In the statement of appeal, the applicant claimed that the trial court had failed to study all the materials in the case file; had erroneously dismissed his request for additional forensic expert examinations; had failed to question certain witnesses and had not properly assessed the witnesses’ testimonies. He further alleged that the trial transcript had not been accurate or complete. 11.  On 24 March 2005 the Segezha Town Court informed the applicant and his counsel of the date and time of the appeal hearing. 12.  On 25 April 2005 the Supreme Court of the Republic of Karelia upheld the applicant’s conviction on appeal. As it follows from the text of the judgment, the applicant took part in the hearing by video link. Ms P. did not appear. The court proceeded with the hearing in her absence. It heard submissions from the judge rapporteur, the applicant and the prosecutor.