KIRSANOV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA - 43191/21 (Article 11 - Freedom of assembly and association : Third Section Committee) [2024] ECHR 243 (21 March 2024)

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Cite as: [2024] ECHR 243

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THIRD SECTION

CASE OF KIRSANOV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA

(Applications nos. 43191/21 and 21 others -

see appended list)

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUDGMENT

 

STRASBOURG

21 March 2024

 

This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.


In the case of Kirsanov and Others v. Russia,

The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:

 Peeter Roosma, President,
 Ioannis Ktistakis,
 Andreas Zünd, judges,

and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,

Having deliberated in private on 22 February 2024,

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. They also raised other complaints under the provisions of the Convention.

THE LAW

  1. 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.

  1. 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).

  1. 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, 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).


9.  In the leading cases of 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.

  1. OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW


12.  Some applicants submitted other complaints which also raised issues under the Convention, 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 in the light of its findings in Butkevich v. Russia, no. 5865/07, §§ 63-65, 13 February 2018, Tsvetkova and Others v. Russia, nos. 54381/08 and 5 others, §§ 115-31, 10 April 2018, and Korneyeva v. Russia, no. 72051/17, §§ 34-36, 8 October 2019, as to various aspects of unlawful deprivation of liberty of organisers or participants of public assemblies; and Karelin v. Russia, no. 926/08, §§ 58-85, 20 September 2016, concerning the absence of a prosecuting party in the proceedings under the Code of Administrative Offences (the CAO).

  1. REMAINING COMPLAINTS


14.  Some applicants raised further additional complaints under Article 6 of the Convention concerning the fairness of the administrative-offence proceedings. In view of the findings in paragraphs above, the Court considers that there is no need to deal separately with these remaining complaints.

  1. 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,

  1. Decides to join the applications;
  2. Holds that it has jurisdiction to deal with these applications as they relate to facts that took place before 16 September 2022;
  3. 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;
  4. Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 11 of the Convention;
  5. Holds that there has been a violation of the Convention as regards the other complaints raised under the well-established case-law of the Court (see appended table);
  6. 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 21 March 2024, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.

 Viktoriya Maradudina Peeter Roosma
 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 charges

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]

  1.    

43191/21

11/08/2021

Ivan Nikolayevich KIRSANOV

2002

Nurgaleyev Danil Ilnurovich

Kazan

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Kazan, Tatarstan Republic

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic

17/02/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 2.30 p.m. on 23/01/2021 to 2 p.m. on 24/01/2021 for the purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record and bringing the applicant to court hearing, raised on appeal

4,000

  1.    

45710/21

26/08/2021

Viktoriya Andreyevna KURBATOVA

1994

Zubarev Dmitriy Vladimirovich

Vladivostok

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Vladivostok

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Primorye Regional Court

20/05/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 2.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on 31/01/2021 for the purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Primorye Regional Court, 20/05/2021

4,000

  1.    

45886/21

25/08/2021

Andrey Valentinovich ZELENOV

1975

Bubon Konstantin Vladimirovich

Khabarovsk

Manifestation in support of Furgal and Navalnyy

 

Khabarovsk

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Khabarovsk Regional Court

18/03/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 3.20 on 23/01/2021 to 25/01/2021 for the purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record and bringing the applicant to court hearing, raised on appeal

4,000

  1.    

47509/21

03/09/2021

Anton Aleksandrovich SUKHANOV

1993

Vertegel Feliks Yevgenyevich

Krasnodar

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Krasnodar

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Krasnodar Regional Court

15/03/2021

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Krasnodar Regional Court, 15/03/2021

3,500

  1.    

47833/21

18/09/2021

Aleksandr Pavlovich SMIRNOV

1987

Nemanov Vladimir Sergeyevich

Moscow

Manifestation in support of Navlanyy

 

Moscow

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Moscow City Court

06/04/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 5.30 p.m. on 31/01/2021 to about 1.30 a.m. on 01/02/2021 for the purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Moscow City Court, 06/04/2021

 

4,000

  1.    

48934/21

24/09/2021

Yelena Aleksandrovna PIROGOVA

1960

Zhdanov Ivan Yuryevich

Vilnius

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Staryy Oskol

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Belgorod Regional Court

29/03/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 12.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on 31/01/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing a record of administrative offence, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Belgorod Regional Court, 29/03/2021

4,000

  1.    

49150/21

16/09/2021

Yuliya Sergeyevna DEMIDOVA

1997

Yatsenko Irina Aleksandrovna

Moscow

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Moscow

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Moscow City Court

16/03/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 12 p.m. on 31/01/2021 to 9.30 p.m. on 01/02/2021 for the purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record and bringing the applicant to court hearing, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Moscow City Court, 16/03/2021

 

4,000

  1.    

49272/21

22/09/2021

Aleksandr Vladimirovich VOLKOV

1991

Aksenova Darya Dmitriyevna

Kolomna

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Moscow

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Moscow City Court

22/04/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 12.09 p.m. until unspecified time on 23/01/2021 (more than three hours) for the sole purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Moscow City Court, 22/04/2021

4,000

  1.    

49428/21

01/10/2021

Igor Olegovich YERMACHENKOV

1963

Zhdanov Ivan Yuryevich

Vilnius

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Arkhangelsk

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Arkhangelsk Regional Court

09/04/2021

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Arkhangelsk Regional Court, 09/04/2021

 

3,500

  1.  

49437/21

01/10/2021

Artur Arturovich SIDOROV

1992

Pomazuyev Aleksandr Yevgenyevich

Vilnius

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Yaroslavl

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Yaroslavl Regional Court

08/04/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 12.20 p.m. to 7 p.m. on 31/01/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Yaroslavl Regional Court, 08/04/2021

 

4,000

  1.  

51211/21

30/09/2021

Irada Nazimovna KAMINSKAYA

1972

Dubrovina Marina Alekseyevna

Novorossiysk

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Anapa, Krasnodar Region

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 12,000

Krasnodar Regional Court

31/03/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 1.10 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. on 31/01/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record and bringing the applicant to the court hearing, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Krasnodar Regional Court, 31/03/2021

4,000

  1.  

51498/21

28/09/2021

Vladimir Vladimirovich KALASHNIKOV

1982

Aksenova Darya Dmitriyevna

Kolomna

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Moscow

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Moscow City Court

20/04/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 2.10 p.m. to unspecified time on 23/01/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing a record of administrative offence, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Moscow City Court, 20/04/2021

4,000

  1.  

51504/21

28/09/2021

Yuriy Vladimirovich ZAYTSEV

1962

Aksenova Darya Dmitriyevna

Kolomna

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Moscow

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Moscow City Court

13/05/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 6.25 p.m. to unspecified time on 23/01/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing up a record of administrative offence, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Moscow City Court, 13/05/2021

 

 

 

 

4,000

  1.  

51701/21

05/10/2021

Maksim Yuryevich TARASOV

1998

Valenkov Andrey Olegovich

Nizhniy Novgorod

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Nizhniy Novgorod

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Nizhniy Novgorod Regional Court

07/04/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 12.25 p.m. on 31/01/2021 to 3.30 p.m. on 01/02/2021 for the sole reason of drawing up an administrative offence record and bringing the applicant to the court hearing, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Nizhniy Novgorod Regional Court, 07/04/2021

4,000

  1.  

51790/21

15/10/2021

Anastasiya Igorevna RODIONOVA

1992

Zhdanov Ivan Yuryevich

Vilnius

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Saransk

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Supreme Court of the Republic of Mordovia

28/04/2021

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Supreme Court of the Mordovia Republic, 28/04/2021

 

3,500

  1.  

51936/21

15/10/2021

Yana Valeryevna FOMINA

1994

Zhdanov Ivan Yuryevich

Vilnius

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Kursk

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 15,000

Kursk Regional Court

27/04/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 2.55 p.m. to 7.15 p.m. on 23/01/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Kursk Regional Court, 27/04/2021

4,000

  1.  

52341/21

01/10/2021

Darina Ruslanovna PRAZDNIKOVA

2002

Nurgaleyev Danil Ilnurovich

Kazan

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Kazan

31/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Supreme Court of Tatarstan Republic

21/04/2021

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Supreme Court of Tatarstan Republic, 21/04/2021

3,500

  1.  

53163/21

23/09/2021

Yan Vladimirovich KOLCHANOV

1983

Bushmakov Aleksey Vladimirovich

Yekaterinburg

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Yekaterinburg

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

20 hours of community service

Sverdlovsk Regional Court

13/05/2021

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Sverdlovsk Regional Court, 13/05/2021

3,500

  1.  

53169/21

23/09/2021

Aleksey Vladimirovich CHELYSHEV

1995

Bushmakov Aleksey Vladimirovich

Yekaterinburg

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Yekaterinburg

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

20 hours of community service

Sverdlovsk Regional Court

09/06/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 3.27 p.m. to unspecified time on 23/01/20201 for the sole purpose of drawing a record of administrative offence, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Sverdlovsk Regional Court, 09/06/2021

4,000

  1.  

53174/21

23/09/2021

Timofey Vasilyevich RADYA

1988

Bushmakov Aleksey Vladimirovich

Yekaterinburg

Manifestation in support of Navalnyy

 

Yekaterinburg

23/01/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

39 hours of community service

Sverdlovsk Regional Court

13/07/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 3.27 p.m. to unspecified time on 23/01/20201 for the sole purpose of drawing a record of administrative offence, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Sverdlovsk Regional Court, 13/07/2021

4,000

  1.  

57560/21

07/11/2021

Mukhamad Amridin SIRIDZHIDINZODA

1999

Zboroshenko Nikolay Sergeyevich

Mytishchi

Manifestation in support of Izzat Amon

 

Moscow

02/04/2021

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

fine of RUB 10,000

Moscow City Court

13/07/2021

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 2 p.m. to unspecified time on 02/04/2021 for the sole purpose of drawing a record of administrative offence, raised on appeal,

 

Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings - Final decision: Moscow City Court, 13/07/2021

4,000

  1.  

51290/22

22/10/2022

Rustem Rinatovich NABIULLIN

1996

 

Manifestation against the war in Ukraine

 

Kazan

13/03/2022

 

 

article 20.2 § 5 of CAO

 

 

 

 

 

article 20.3.3 of CAO, § 1

fine of RUB 10,000

 

 

 

 

fine of RUB 30,000

Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic

22/06/2022

 

 

Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic

06/07/2022

Art. 5 (1) - unlawful deprivation of liberty, including unrecorded detention and detention without a judicial order and any other legal basis - arrest and detention from 2.30 p.m. on 13/03/2022 to 14/03/2022 for the sole purpose of drawing up an administrative offence record and bringing the applicant to court hearing, raised on appeal

4,000

 

 


[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.


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