5.  The applicants were born in 1919, 1930, 1939 and 1941 respectively and live in Moscow. 6.  Mrs Zharkova filed the application also on behalf of her husband, Mr Evsey Matveyevich Pisman, who had died on 17 January 2005. 7.  On 12 April 2002 the applicants were charged with aggravated fraud, a serious offence punishable with up to ten years' imprisonment at the material time. On 25 June 2002 the pre-trial investigation was concluded and on 12 July 2002 the case was allocated to the Babushkinskiy District Court of Moscow for judicial examination. The first hearing was scheduled for 11 August 2003. 8.  By a decision of 5 May 2004, the trial court suspended the criminal proceedings in respect of Ms Konashevskaya and Ms Gorokhova owing to their serious illnesses. 9.  On 21 February 2006 the court ordered an expert psychiatric examination of Mr G., the applicants' co-defendant, and suspended the examination of the case. The date when the proceedings were resumed is unknown. 10.  By a decision of 29 May 2007, the court suspended the proceedings in respect of Ms Belikova and Mrs Zharkova owing to their illnesses. 11.  On 25 February 2008, at the requests of Ms Belikova, Mrs Zharkova and Ms Gorokhova, the court resumed its examination of the case. 12.  On 31 March 2008 the Babushkinskiy District Court of Moscow delivered a judgment by which applicants Belikova, Zharkova and Gorokhova were acquitted of the charges. On 25 June 2008 the Moscow City Court upheld the acquittal on appeal. 13.  The criminal proceedings in respect of Ms Konashevskaya are still pending. On 25 December 2008 the presiding judge telephoned a competent hospital in order to establish the actual state of her health and was informed that the latter suffered from multiple illnesses, including stenocardia, post-infarct cardiosclerosis and chronic cerebral ischemia. 14.  Mr Pisman was charged with aggravated fraud and forgery of documents on 12 April 2002. He stood trial alongside the applicants. On 17 January 2005 he died. 15.  On two occasions the trial court suspended the criminal proceedings against him, that is from 5 May 2004 to 17 May 2005 owing to his illness and his subsequent death and from 29 May 2007 to 25 February 2008 owing to the illness of his widow, Mrs Zharkova. 16.  The decision of 17 May 2005 to resume the proceedings against Mr Pisman was rendered by the trial court at the request of his widow for the purpose of restoring his reputation. 17.  By judgments of 31 March 2008 and 25 June 2008, he too was acquitted of the charges. 18.  By a procedural decision of 25 July 2003, the trial court appointed legal-aid lawyers to represent the applicants. 19.  On 12 August 2003 the applicants filed applications where they refused to accept the assistance of the lawyers. By a decision of 12 August 2003, the trial court declined to discharge the appointed legal representatives. 20.  During the hearing of 24 September 2003, Ms Belikova and Mrs Zharkova did not object to the assistance of the lawyers. 21.  During the hearing of 27 September 2003, Mrs Zharkova did not object to the assistance of the lawyer. The trial court, however, dismissed her request to appoint a representative of her own choosing. 22.  By a decision of 26 May 2005, the trial court admitted Mr M., a lawyer called upon by Ms Belikova, to the proceedings. 23.  During the hearing of 12 March 2008, Ms Belikova, Mrs Zharkova and Ms Gorokhova agreed to accept the assistance of the appointed lawyers.