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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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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   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.