MOSCOW, February 26 (RIA Novosti) - The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on Thursday ordered Russia to pay 10,000 euros ($12,800) to a Russian judge in connection with a violation of the freedom of expression.

Olga Kudeshkina, a Moscow City Court judge, was barred from her judicial position in May of 2004 by the Judiciary Qualification Board of Moscow for a disciplinary offence.

Kudeshkina claimed in the Strasbourg court that her dismissal was connected with her statements to public media about representatives of prosecution and judicial bodies, who, according to Kudeshkina, implied pressure on her in a number of high-profile criminal cases.

The Strasbourg court ruled that Kudeshkina's dismissal from judicial office following her comments in the media constituted a violation of the freedom of expression provided for in Article 10 of the Convention.

On February 26 the court ruled that "the respondent State is to pay the applicant, within three months from the date on which the judgment becomes final... EUR 10,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage, to be converted into Russian rubles at the rate applicable at the date of settlement, plus any tax that may be chargeable."

The decision in the Kudeshkina vs. Russia case was decided by four of seven judges voting in favour of the dismissed Russian judge.