European standards of respect for human rights in the application of compulsory medical measures in criminal proceedings

Introduction: The article is devoted to the research of topical issues of ensuring the rights of persons suffering from mental disorders and who are subject to criminal proceedings on the application of compulsory medical measures (hereinafter - CMM). The research was conducted in the context of international standards and interpretative practice of the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter referred to as the ECHR or the Court). The aim: The aim of this study is to analyze international acts concerning the protection of the rights of mentally ill persons when applying compulsory medical measures; to highlight and analyze the ECHR's key positions in the context of respect for the right to liberty and security of person (Article 5 § 1 (e) of the European Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter referred to as the Convention)) and the right to a fair trial (Article 6 of the Convention) in criminal proceedings concerning the use of CMM; to analyse the law enforcement practice and activities of psychiatrist experts on compliance with European standards for the protection of the rights of persons with mental disorders who are subject to criminal proceedings. Materials and methods: rescent scientific researches; provisions of international legal acts in the field of psychiatric care; the legal standpoint of the ECHR in respecting the rights of persons with mental disorders (15 decisions were analyzed in which the ECHR addressed these issues in the context of the requirements of Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention); criminal procedural legislation of foreign states (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Estonia, Uzbekistan, Germany); the results of the survey of 20 psychiatrists and experts conducted by the authors were used in this article To achieve this aim of research process a set of general scientific and special methods of cognition, including comparative and legal method, system and structural method, method of generalization, method of analysis and synthesis, method of sociological research, method of expert evaluation, etc. bein used. Results: summarized and generalized ECHR's standpoints concerning: a) minimum conditions without which a person cannot be considered as "mentally ill" and imprisoned; b) the aspects taken into account by the ECHR within each minimum condition in the context of ensuring the right to liberty and security of person (Article 5 § 1 (e) of the Convention); c) the peculiarities of the personal participation of an i