FIFTH SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 42770/20
Liana KARAPETYAN
against Armenia
The European Court of Human Rights (Fifth Section), sitting on 5 February 2026 as a Committee composed of:
 Andreas Zünd, President,
 Diana Sârcu,
 Mykola Gnatovskyy, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above application against the Republic of Armenia lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on 9 September 2020,
Having regard to the observations submitted by the respondent Government,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
FACTS AND PROCEDUREThe applicant’s details are set out in the appended table.
The applicant was represented by Ms L. Sahakyan, a lawyer practising in Yerevan.
The applicant’s complaint under Article 5 § 3 of the Convention concerning the lack of relevant and sufficient reasons for detention was communicated to the Armenian Government (“the Government”).
THE LAWComplaint under Article 5 § 3 of the Convention (lack of relevant and sufficient reasons for detention)
In the present application, having examined all the material before it, the Court considers that the applicant’s complaint concerning the alleged lack of relevant and sufficient reasons for his detention is inadmissible.
In particular, the Court notes that the applicant was released on bail on 28 February 2020. The six-month period therefore started to run on that date and expired on 28 August 2020. In line with the Court’s recent findings in Masse v. France ((dec.), no. 47506/20, §§ 29–31, 25 March 2025), the exceptional three-month COVID-related extension does not apply to this case. Consequently, the present application, lodged on 9 September 2020, is out of time.
In view of the above, the Court finds that the present application was lodged out of time and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Declares the application inadmissible.
Done in English and notified in writing on 26 February 2026.
 
 Viktoriya Maradudina Andreas Zünd
 Acting Deputy Registrar President
 
APPENDIX
Application raising complaints under Article 5 § 3 of the Convention
(lack of relevant and sufficient reasons for detention)
Application no.
Date of introduction
Applicant’s name
Year of birth
 
Representative’s name and location
Period of detention
Court which issued detention order/ examined appeal
Specific defects
42770/20
09/09/2020
Liana KARAPETYAN
1956
 
Sahakyan Lusine
Yerevan
29/01/2020-28/02/2020
Criminal Court of Appeal
fragility of the reasons employed by the courts