5.  Ms Ichina was born in 1960, Mr Ichin was born in 1991, Ms Dmitriyeva was born in 1969 and Mr Dmitriyev was born in 1990. They live in Sevastopol. 6.  On 31 December 2003 Mr Ichin, Mr Dmitriyev and another individual Mr K., all of them minors, stole food supplies and kitchen appliances from a school canteen. 7.  On 5 January 2004 they were questioned by the police and confessed to the theft. They returned some of the stolen goods. 8.  On 7 January 2004 the investigator instituted criminal proceedings into the theft, after having noted that, between 30 December 2003 and 2 January 2003, unknown persons had broken into a school canteen and stolen food supplies and kitchen appliances. 9.  On 13 January 2004 the investigator, with the approval of the District Prosecutor, lodged requests with the Sevastopol Nakhimovskiy District Court (“the Nakhimovskiy Court”) to place Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev in a juvenile holding facility in accordance with Article 7-3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The investigator noted that Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev had committed deliberate actions that could be classified as a crime under part 3 of Article 185 of the Criminal Code, that both of them came from big families with low incomes, had contact with criminals, had poor references from school, had a tendency to take part in illegal activities and could not be influenced by their parents. The investigator noted that, in view of the above considerations, there were sufficient grounds to believe that Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev could commit socially dangerous acts (суспільно небезпечні діяння) again. 10.  The same day the applicants were summoned by the investigator to appear before the court on 14 January 2004 as witnesses, with their lawful representatives, for having committed socially dangerous acts foreseen by part 3 of Article 185 of the Criminal Code. 11.  On 14 January 2004 the Nakhimovskiy Court examined the requests in the presence of the applicants and the prosecutor. By two decisions of the same day, the court ordered Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev to be placed in a juvenile holding facility. The court noted that Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev were accused of socially-dangerous acts and that criminal proceedings had been instigated against them on 7 January 2004. With regard to the reasons given in the investigator's requests (see paragraph 9 above), the court concluded that there were sufficient grounds to believe that Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev could evade the investigation and the course of justice and could continue their criminal activities. The court's decision was final and not subject to appeal. 12.  Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev remained in the juvenile holding facility until 13 February 2004. 13.  On 3 March 2004 the investigator instituted criminal proceedings against Mr Dmitriyev and Mr Ichin for stealing food supplies and kitchen appliances from the school canteen. 14.  On 3 and 4 March 2004 respectively, Mrs Dmitriyeva and Mrs Ichina wrote to the President of the Nakhimovskiy Court complaining of degrading treatment of their sons by the personnel of the juvenile holding facility. In his reply of 15 March 2004 the President of that court informed them that he lacked the power to instigate criminal proceedings against the personnel of the holding facility. 15.  According to Mrs Ichina, her complaints to the prosecutor alleging degrading treatment of Mr Ichin in the juvenile holding facility were answered only by a letter from the prosecutor informing her that there were no grounds for a criminal investigation regarding the personnel of the holding facility. 16.  According to Mrs Dmitriyeva, her complaints to the prosecutor alleging the degrading treatment of Mr Dmitriyev in the holding facility remained unanswered. 17.  On 26 April 2004 the investigator decided that the criminal proceedings against Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev should be terminated as they were under the age of criminal liability and the case should be referred to a court for the application of compulsory educational measures. 18.  On 14 May 2004 the Sevastopol Nakhimovskiy District Prosecutor approved the decision of 26 April 2004. 19.  On 4 February 2005 the Nakhimovskiy Court examined the materials concerning the application of compulsory educational measures with respect to Mr Ichin and Mr Dmitriyev and decided to limit the punishment to a warning to both of them. There is no evidence that this decision was appealed against.