Polish Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorski accused Russia of hybrid warfare and acts of sabotage and announced…
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has condemned Russia over its foreign agents law, adopted in 2012, saying it is “arbitrary” and creates a “climate of mistrust.”
107 non-governmental organizations and members of Russian civil society appealed to the ECHR. According to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, the current legislation is stigmatizing, misleading, and applied in an overly broad and unpredictable manner.
The Court also held that the purpose of this legislation is to punish and intimidate and not to respond to a need for transparency or legitimate national security claims.
The Strasbourg-based European Court concluded that Russia’s law on foreign agents violates the principles of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and respect for private and family life.
Also read: Russia | Increase in the military spending by 25% in 2025
Russia was excluded in March 2022 from the ECHR after its invasion of Ukraine, but the court’s rulings can be imposed on the country for earlier events.
Among the dozens of plaintiffs are the International Memorial and the Memorial Human Rights Center, Radio Free/Europe/Radio Liberty, journalists, human rights defenders, and environmental activists.
They ran afoul of legislation that forced them to register as foreign agents, subjecting them to strict inspections, fines, and restrictions on their activities.
The 107 plaintiffs said that the legislation was part of a systematic campaign by the Russian state against human rights organizations and media critical of the government.
The ECHR has reviewed Russia’s “foreign agents” law in the past following an appeal by 73 Russian NGOs. In their decision issued in June 2022 by the European judges, they had unanimously assessed that this legislation contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights.
The lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, adopted in 2022 several amendments under which Russia is not obliged to implement ECHR rulings, issued after Moscow was excluded from the Council of Europe.
Also read: Russia | Warships sail into Havana harbor
READ MORE
Green light from the EU for the 35 billion euro loan to Ukraine
The European Parliament today gave the “green light” to the €35 billion macro-financial assistance loan to Ukraine, which will…
Piraeus dock workers prevented a ship from loading a container of munitions for Israel
With the slogan “Freedom in Palestine!” NATO is a murderer, the murderer knows it,” under the banner of the ENEDEP union, the COSCO…
Poland – Russia | Diplomatic crisis – Russian consulate in Poznań closes
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorski accused Russia of hybrid warfare and acts of sabotage and announced…
Green light from the EU for the 35 billion euro loan to Ukraine
The European Parliament today gave the “green light” to the €35 billion macro-financial assistance loan to Ukraine, which will…
Memorial Speech by the Minister of Defence Vassilis Palmas at the annual memorial service for the fallen of the 3rd Company of the 211th Infantry Battalion
The Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Vassilis Palmas, attended the annual commemoration of the fallen of the 3rd…
Mexico | A mammoth bust of 8.3 tonnes of drugs seized by the Navy during operation in the Pacific Ocean
On Friday, a Navy operation in Mexico seized 8.3 tons of drugs, a record amount of drugs seized in the country in a maritime operation.
Piraeus dock workers prevented a ship from loading a container of munitions for Israel
With the slogan “Freedom in Palestine!” NATO is a murderer, the murderer knows it,” under the banner of the ENEDEP union, the COSCO…
Mitsotakis – Zelensky | Signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement between Greece and Ukraine
A cooperation agreement in the field of security was co-signed by the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with the President…