Přehled
Rozsudek
THIRD SECTION
CASE OF SKOROBOGATOV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA
(Applications nos. 46218/21 and 21 others –
see appended list)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
16 October 2025
This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.
In the case of Skorobogatov and Others v. Russia,
The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:
Diana Kovatcheva, President,
Canòlic Mingorance Cairat,
Vasilka Sancin, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 25 September 2025,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:
PROCEDURE
1. The case originated in applications against Russia lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table.
2. The Russian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications.
THE FACTS
3. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table.
4. The applicants complained of the disproportionate measures taken against them as organisers or participants of public assemblies, notably in connection with their participation in various public events in breach of COVID-19-related restrictions. They also raised other complaints under the provisions of the Convention.
THE LAW
- JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS
5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.
- JURISDICTION
6. The Court observes that the facts giving rise to the alleged violations of the Convention occurred prior to 16 September 2022, the date on which the Russian Federation ceased to be a party to the Convention. The Court therefore decides that it has jurisdiction to examine the present applications (see Fedotova and Others v. Russia [GC], nos. 40792/10 and 2 others, §§ 68‑73, 17 January 2023).
- ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 11 OF THE CONVENTION
7. The applicants complained principally of disproportionate measures taken against them as organisers or participants of public assemblies in connection with their participation in various public events in breach of COVID-19-related restrictions, namely their arrest in relation to the dispersal of these assemblies and their conviction for administrative offences. They relied, expressly or in substance, on Article 11 of the Convention.
8. The Court refers to the principles established in its case-law regarding freedom of assembly (see Kudrevičius and Others v. Lithuania [GC], no. 37553/05, ECHR 2015, with further references) and proportionality of interference with it (see Oya Ataman v. Turkey, no. 74552/01, ECHR 2006‑XIV, and Hyde Park and Others v. Moldova, no. 33482/06, 31 March 2009). It further refers to Nemytov and Others v. Russia, no. 1257/21 and 2 others, 27 May 2025, in so far as the application by the authorities of the COVID-19-related restrictions to assemblies are concerned.
9. In the leading cases of Nemytov and Others, cited above, Frumkin v. Russia, no. 74568/12, ECHR 2016 (extracts), Navalnyy and Yashin v. Russia, no. 76204/11, 4 December 2014, and Kasparov and Others v. Russia, no. 21613/07, 3 October 2013, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.
10. Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion as to the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the interferences with the applicants’ freedom of assembly were not “necessary in a democratic society”.
11. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 11 of the Convention.
- OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW
12. Some applicants submitted other complaints which also raised issues under the Convention and its Protocols, given the relevant well-established case-law of the Court (see appended table). These complaints are not manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the Convention, nor are they inadmissible on any other ground. Accordingly, they must be declared admissible.
13. Having examined all the material before it, the Court concludes that these complaints also disclose violations of the Convention and its Protocols in the light of its findings in Nemytov and Others, cited above, § 166, with further references.
- REMAINING COMPLAINTS
14. Some applicants raised further additional complaints under Article 6 of the Convention concerning other aspects of fairness of the administrative‑offence proceedings. In view of the findings in paragraphs 11 and 13 above, the Court considers that there is no need to deal separately with these remaining complaints.
APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION
15. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see in particular Navalnyy and Others v. Russia [Committee], nos. 25809/17 and 14 others, § 22, 4 October 2022), the Court finds it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.
FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY,
- Decides to join the applications;
- Holds that it has jurisdiction to deal with these applications as they relate to facts that took place before 16 September 2022;
- Declares the complaints under Article 11 of the Convention and the other complaints under the well-established case-law of the Court, as set out in the appended table, admissible, and finds that there is no need to examine separately the remaining complaints under Article 6 of the Convention;
- Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 11 of the Convention;
- Holds that there has been a violation of the Convention, and the Protocols thereto as regards the other complaints raised under the well-established case-law of the Court (see appended table);
- Holds
(a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date of settlement;
(b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.
Done in English, and notified in writing on 16 October 2025, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.
Viktoriya Maradudina Diana Kovatcheva
Acting Deputy Registrar President
APPENDIX
List of applications raising complaints under Article 11 of the Convention
(disproportionate measures against organisers and participants of public assemblies)
No. | Application no. Date of introduction | Applicant’s name Year of birth | Representative’s name and location | Name of the public event Location Date | Administrative / criminal offence | Penalty | Final domestic decision Court Name Date | Other complaints under well-established case-law | Amount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant (in euros)[1] |
46218/21 02/09/2021 | Aleksey Aleksandrovich SKOROBOGATOV 1987 | Peredruk Aleksandr Dmitriyevich St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 15,000 | St Petersburg City Court 15/04/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 8.30 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 4 a.m. on 01/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 4,000 | |
46224/21 02/09/2021 | Nikolay Aleksandrovich KANTS 1991 | Peredruk Aleksandr Dmitriyevich St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 27/04/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 10.30 p.m. on 02/02/2021 until 4.45 a.m. on 03/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 4,000 | |
46225/21 02/09/2021 | Alina Rustemovna TAGIROVA 1998 | Peredruk Aleksandr Dmitriyevich St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 10 days | St Petersburg City Court 16/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 4.30 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 7.45 p.m. on 01/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
46520/21 03/09/2021 | Liliya Ivanovna SEMENTSOVA 1999 | Karagodina Veronika Yuryevna St Petersburg | Rally “Free Navalnyy” St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 09/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from11.55 p.m. on 02/02/2021 until 11.40 a.m. on 03/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 4,000 | |
46794/21 30/08/2021 | Aleksandr Sergeyevich ULANOV 1999 | Magomedova Luiza Magomedovna St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 02/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 3.57 a.m. until 11.20 a.m. on 03/02/3021 | 4,000 | |
46799/21 30/08/2021 | Nikita Dmitriyevich SHLEYNING 1996 | Magomedova Luiza Magomedovna St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 02/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 4.34 a.m. until 11.20 a.m. on 03/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings. | 4,000 | |
48108/21 09/09/2021 | Denis Andreyevich PUGACHEV 1996 | Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 09/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 11.05 p.m. on 02/02/2021 until 1 p.m. on 04/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 4,000 | |
49386/21 27/09/2021 | Yevgeniy Yuryevich RODIONOV 1987 | Loktev Sergey Aleksandrovich St Petersburg | Rally “Free Navalnyy” St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 30/03/2021 | Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 3,500 | |
49766/21 22/09/2021 | Darya Antonovna ZUBKOVA 1999 | Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 9 days | St Petersburg City Court 25/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 3.40 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 10.30 a.m. on 01/02/2021, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
49829/21 18/09/2021 | Mariya Vladimirovna PYANKOVA 2001 | Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 18/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 31/01/2021 for compiling an offence report, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings. | 4,000 | |
50710/21 22/09/2021 | Kseniya Aleksandrovna VARLAMOVA 1993 | Semenov Daniil Aleksandrovich St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 10 days | St Petersburg City Court 21/03/2021, the decision was served on the applicant on a later date | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 4.30 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 10 a.m. on 02/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
50720/21 22/09/2021 | Gleb Olegovich SERGEYEV 1997 | Zyryanova Mariya Sergeyevna St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 10 days | St Peterburg City Court 23/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 31/01/2021 for compiling an offence report, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
50724/21 22/09/2021 | Vsevolod Mikhaylovich MOSKALEV 1996 | Zyryanova Mariya Sergeyevna St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 10 days | St Petersburg City Court 23/09/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to at the police station for compiling an offence report on 31/01/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
55737/21 29/10/2021 | Vladimir Vladimirovich NECHAYEV 2002 | Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 21/04/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 10 days | St Petersburg City Court 29/04/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 8.30 p.m. on 21/04/2021 until 3.30 p.m. on 22/04/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
56511/21 27/10/2021 | Yekaterina Sergeyevna PAVLOVA 1990 | MOO MEMORIAL Human Rights Centre St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 03/06/2021 | Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 00.02 a.m. until 6.05 p.m. on 03/02/2021. | 4,000 | |
57026/21 10/11/2021 | Andrey Vladimirovich KONONOV | Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 3 days | St Petersburg City Court 20/05/2021 | Art. 5 (1) – unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 1 p.m. on 31/10/2021 until 12 p.m. on 01/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings. | 5,000 | |
57400/21 27/10/2021 | Yekaterina Sergeyevna KUPRIYANOVA 1988 | Karagodina Veronika Yuryevna St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 20/05/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 31/01/2021 for compiling an offence report, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 4,000 | |
57851/21 11/11/2021 | Anna Nikitichna PUSHKINA 1998 | Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 5 days | St Petersburg City Court 13/05/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 00.30 a.m. until 6.30 p.m. on 03/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 5,000 | |
58666/21 18/11/2021 | Aleksandra Dmitriyevna ANIKEYEVA 2000 | Semenov Daniil Aleksandrovich St Petersburg | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 31/01/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 5 days | St Petersburg City Court 20/05/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 31/01/2021 for compiling an offence report, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Prot. 7 Art. 2 - delayed review of conviction by a higher tribunal - the sentence of administrative detention imposed on the applicant was executed immediately, on account of the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal under the CAO. | 5,000 | |
24854/22 06/08/2021 | Dmitriy Yuryevich PAVLOV 1998 | Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow | Rally "Free Navalnyy" St Petersburg 02/02/2021 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | detention for 3 days | St Petersburg City Court 25/03/2021 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 00.30 a.m. until 5.55 p.m. on 03/02/2021, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceeding | 5,000 | |
40715/22 11/08/2022 | Mariya Yevgenyevna KRASHENNIKOVA 1999 | Shiolashvili Mikhail Germanovich St Petersburg | Anti-war protest (against war in Ukraine) St Petersburg 06/03/2022 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 10,000 | St Petersburg City Court 12/04/2022 | Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings, Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 06/03/2022 for compiling an offence report. | 4,000 | |
45934/22 01/09/2022 | Yelena Aleksandrovna ARSENYEVA 1988 | Loktev Sergey Aleksandrovich St Petersburg | Anti-war protest (against war in Ukraine) St Petersburg 13/03/2022 | article 20.2 § 2 of CAO | fine of RUB 20,000 | St Petersburg City Court 24/05/2022 | Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 13/03/2022 for compiling an offence report, Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings | 4,000 |
[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.