Politics ECtHR condemns Russia for action against Navalny network
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has condemned Russia for its large-scale crackdown on the now deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and his entourage.
16.12.2025, 13:02
SDA
The judges in Strasbourg unanimously ruled that the coordinated measures taken by the Russian authorities violated human rights such as respect for privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.
According to the Court, the 139 complainants, which included individuals and organizations, had been the target of simultaneous administrative and financial measures by the Russian authorities since 2019. This involved mass searches of homes and offices, the confiscation of property, the freezing of bank accounts and the classification of the Foundation for Combating Corruption (FBK), founded by Navalny, as a "foreign agent".
Anti-corruption foundation uncovered numerous scandals
The organization uncovered numerous corruption scandals involving high-ranking Russian politicians, including Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. It is now banned in Russia as extremist. Navalny died in a Russian prison camp last year.
The Human Rights Court assessed Russia's measures as "part of a concerted effort of unprecedented scale" aimed at eliminating the organized democratic opposition around Navalny. The authorities' official justifications, such as the fight against money laundering or extremism, had not been proven and served as a pretext for destroying independent political and civil society structures.
The court awarded the complainants, including Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation itself, sums of between 5,000 euros and 30,000 euros, mainly for non-material damages. However, it is unlikely that they will actually receive the money: Russia does not recognize judgments of the Human Rights Court.
