4.  The applicant was born in 1958 and lives in the town of Kerch, Ukraine. 5.  In February 1999 the Kerch Tax Inspectorate instituted criminal proceedings against the applicant, who ran a small business, on a charge of tax evasion and attached his property. Later, the criminal proceedings against him were terminated on the ground that his actions did not constitute a criminal offence under the new criminal law. 6.  On 17 November 2000 the applicant instituted civil proceedings against the Kerch Tax Inspectorate claiming compensation for the pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage caused to him. 7.  On 10 August 2001 the Kerch City Court allowed the applicant’s claim in part. 8.  In September 2001 the defendant in the case lodged an appeal against that judgment. 9.  On 11 August 2003 the Court of Appeal quashed the judgment of 10 August 2001 and remitted the case for a fresh consideration. 10.  On 12 December 2003 the Supreme Court rejected the applicant’s appeal in cassation. 11.  By a judgment of 16 June 2004 the Kerch City Court dismissed the applicant’s claim in respect of non-pecuniary damage. By a ruling adopted the same date the court terminated proceedings in respect of pecuniary damage. 12.  On 27 September 2004 the Court of Appeal quashed the judgment and ruling and remitted the case to the first-instance court for a fresh consideration. 13.  On 6 October 2004 the applicant lodged a cassation appeal against the ruling of 27 September 2004.  On 30 August 2007 the Zaporizhzhya Regional Court of Appeal, acting as a court of cassation, dismissed it. 14.  In accordance with the ruling of 27 September 2004 the case was remitted to the first-instance court and the proceedings are still pending before it.