THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF RUSSIA AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA JUDGMENT 41 “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ... everyone is entitled to a fair ... hearing ... by [a] ... tribunal ...” The Court reiterates its well-established case-law that the right to stand for elections and similar rights in the election sphere are political and not “civil” within the meaning of Article 6 § 1 (see Pierre-Bloch v. France, 21 October 1997, §§ 49-52, Reports of Judgments and Decisions 1997-VI, and Cherepkov v. Russia (dec.), no. 51501/99, 25 January 2000). It follows that this complaint is incompatible ratione materiae with the provisions of the Convention within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT UNANIMOUSLY 1. Decides to join to the merits the Government’s objections on grounds of non-exhaustion of domestic remedies, non-compliance with the sixmonth rule under Article 35 § 1 of the Convention, and the Government’s objection concerning the victim status of several applicants; 2. Declares admissible the complaint about an alleged breach of the applicants’ right to free elections and the right to effective remedies, guaranteed by Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 and Article 13 of the Convention respectively; 3. Holds that there has been no violation of Article 13 of the Convention, and dismisses accordingly the Government’s objections on nonexhaustion and non-compliance with the six-months rule; 4. Holds that there has been no violation of Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention, and that it is not necessary to decide on the Government’s objection concerning the victim status of the applicants; 5. Declares inadmissible the remainder of the application. Done in English, and notified in writing on 19 June 2012, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court. Søren Nielsen Registrar Nina Vajić President