4.  The applicant was born in 1970 and lives in the Zaporizhzhya Region. 5.  In July 2001 the police instituted criminal proceedings against him on suspicion of murder. 6.  Following three remittals of the case for additional investigations (on 12 February 2002, 9 July 2003 and 2 June 2004), on 7 April 2005 the Melitopol Court found the applicant guilty of negligent homicide, sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment and amnestied him. 7.  In a separate ruling issued on the same date, the court noted that the case had been three times remitted for additional investigations as the investigators had repeatedly failed to comply with the court’s rulings, which had resulted in the protraction of the proceedings and in the breach of the applicant’s right under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention. 8.  On 29 June 2005 the Zaporizhzhya Regional Court of Appeal quashed the judgment of 7 April 2005 and remitted the case for additional investigations. 9.  Following two further remittals of the case by the Melitopol Court for additional investigations (on 28 March and 5 October 2006), on 3 March 2007 the police discontinued the criminal proceedings against the applicant for want of proof against him. 10.  In the course of the proceedings the investigators and the courts heard thirty-eight witnesses, a victim’s relative and experts. Eleven forensic examinations were carried out, their overall duration amounting to approximately seven months. Two hearings were adjourned due to the applicant’s failure to appear. Between 15 and 29 September 2005 the investigations were suspended due to the applicant’s illness. Some fifteen hearings were adjourned due to the experts’, witnesses’ or victim’s relatives’ failure to appear, illness of a judge or for unspecified reasons.