Information Note on the Court’s case-law 233

October 2019

Volodina v. Russia (communicated case) - 40419/19

Article 8

Positive obligations

Article 8-1

Respect for family life

Respect for private life

Alleged lack of investigations into online harassment against a woman, including dissemination of intimate photographs: communicated

After the break-up of a couple, followed by repeated physical assaults against the woman by her ex-partner (see Volodina v. Russia , 41261/17, 9 July 2019, Information Note 231 ), the applicant was informed in 2016 that her account on the VKontakte social media network had been hac ked: her pseudonym had been replaced by her real name and photographs showing her naked had been published; moreover, her twelve-year-old son’s school-mistress and classmates had been added as “friends”. Further false accounts under her name were subsequen tly opened unbeknown to her; she also found a tracking device in her bag. The applicant complains of various delays and shortcomings in the investigation that was opened in response to her complaint.

Communicated under Article 8 of the Convention.

© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.

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