SMIRNOV v. GEORGIA

Published on 18 May 2026 FOURTH SECTIONApplication no. 11301/24Vitalii SMIRNOVagainst Georgialodged on 16 April 2024communicated on 28 April 2026SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASEThe application concerns the freezing of the bank accounts of the applicant and his company. On 16 March 2023 a judge issued a freezing order, at the request of the prosecutor, in the context of an ongoing criminal investigation into offences of fraud, tax evasion and money laundering involving dozens of individuals and companies. The order was upheld on appeal on 31 March 2023. On 15 March 2024 the freezing order was extended for a further year, and that decision was again upheld on appeal on 26 March 2024.The applicant complains under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention that the interference with his right to peaceful enjoyment of his possessions was unlawful and lacked justification.QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES …