51391/21;51907/21;51910/21;51911/21;51953/21;51972/21;51976/21;51981/21;51996/21;52234/21;52266/21;52272/21;52278/21;52284/21;52319/21;52353/21;52388/21;52474/21;52517/21;52557/21;52561/21;52563/21;52568/21;52573/21;52580/21;52586/21;52594/21;54453/21;54464/21;54476/21;54532/21

SECOND SECTION CASE OF TARASENKO AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA (Applications nos. 51391/21 and 30 others – see appended list)             JUDGMENT   STRASBOURG 7 December 2023   This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision. In the case of Tarasenko and Others v. Russia, The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:  Lorraine Schembri Orland, President,  Frédéric Krenc,  Davor Derenčinović, judges, and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 16 November 2023, 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. Some applicants 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, 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. 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 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; 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); and Martynyuk v. Russia, no. 13764/15, §§ 38-42, 8 October 2019, relating to the lack of suspensive effect of an appeal against the sentence of administrative detention. REMAINING COMPLAINTS 14.  Some applicants raised further complaints under Article 6 of the Convention alleging various aspects of unfairness of the administrative‑offence proceedings. In view of the findings in paragraph 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 the applicants’ complaints 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 complaints 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 7 December 2023, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.    Viktoriya Maradudina Lorraine Schembri Orland  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 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]       51391/21 22/09/2021 Ivan Nikolayevich TARASENKO  Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Moscow   02/02/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO detention of 7 days Moscow City Court 02/04/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 11.40 p.m. on 02/02/2021 until 2.00 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;   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     51907/21 30/09/2021 Zakhar Dmitriyevich ALEKSEYEV Vladislav Vladimirovich Kosnyrev Syktyvkar Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Syktyvkar   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Komi Republic 31/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station for compiling an offence report from 1.30 p.m. until 6.30 p.m. 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.   4,000     51910/21 23/09/2021 Ivan Albertovich OVECHKIN  Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Moscow   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO detention of 8 days Moscow City Court 24/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 3.45 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 6.00 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     51911/21 30/09/2021 Vitaliy Yevgenyevich PASTERYUK Vladislav Vladimirovich Kosnyrev Syktyvkar Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Syktyvkar   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 5,000 Supreme Court of the Komi Republic 31/03/2021 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     51953/21 28/09/2021 Maksim Olegovich SPICHAK Aleksandr Vasilyevich Popkov Sochi Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Sochi   23/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Krasnodar Regional Court 31/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 23/01/2021 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     51972/21 28/09/2021 Aleksey Gennadiyevich CHELMAKIN Aleksandr Vasilyevich Popkov Sochi Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Sochi   23/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO detention of 5 days Krasnodar Regional Court 31/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 3.00 p.m. on 23/01/2021 until 4.00 a.m. on 24/01/2021;   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     51976/21 28/09/2021 Anna Yuryevna PRIDACHINA Aleksandr Vasilyevich Popkov Sochi Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Sochi   23/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Krasnodar Regional Court 31/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 23/01/2021 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     51981/21 28/09/2021 Karen Sergeyevich LOBYAN Aleksandr Vasilyevich Popkov Sochi Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Sochi   23/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 15,000 Krasnodar Regional Court 31/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 23/01/2021 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     51996/21 13/10/2021 Petr Alekseyevich GOLIKOV Yelena Yuryevna Pershakova Moscow Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Moscow   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 15,000 Moscow City Court 14/04/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 2.20 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 1.11 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   52234/21 30/09/2021 Aleksey Aleksandrovich MICHURIN Aleksandr Vasilyevich Popkov Sochi Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Sochi   23/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Krasnodar Regional Court 31/03/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 4.00 p.m. on 23/01/2021 until 6.30 a.m. on 24/01/2021;   Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings. 4,000   52266/21 11/10/2021 Valentina Nikolayevna PETROVA Tatyana Georgiyevna Martynova Pskov Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Pskov   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Pskov Regional Court 12/04/2021 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   52272/21 07/10/2021 Klim Sergeyevich MURATOV Olimpiada Valentinovna Usanova Nizhniy Novgorod Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Nizhniy Novgorod   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Nizhniy Novgorod Regional 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   52278/21 01/10/2021 Gelnara Rafikovna SAKHABIYEVA Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 14/04/2021   3,500   52284/21 11/10/2021 Ivan Dmitriyevich DOROZHKIN Tatyana Georgiyevna Martynova Pskov Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Pskov   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 15,000 Pskov Regional Court 12/04/2021 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   52319/21 10/10/2021 Anna Vladimirovna NIKOLAYEVA  Memorial Human Rights Centre Moscow Rally against tree felling   Moscow   27/12/2020 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Moscow City Court 12/04/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 2.30 p.m. on 27/12/2020 until 2.30 a.m. on 29/12/2020;   Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings 4,000   52353/21 05/08/2021 Khristina Dzhonson RAMIRES Aleksey Viktorovich Tsvetkov Vladimir Rally to ensure access of doctors to Mr A. Navalnyy in detention   Pokrov   06/04/2021 article 20.2.2 § 3 of CAO detention of 10 days Vladimir Regional Court 14/04/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 07/04/2021 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   52388/21 05/08/2021 Olga Ivanovna SHASHKOVA Aleksey Viktorovich Tsvetkov Vladimir Rally to ensure access of doctors to Mr A. Navalnyy in detention   Pokrov   06/04/2021   article 20.2.2 § 3 of CAO 20 hours of community work Vladimir Regional Court 15/06/2021 Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings 3,500   52474/21 30/09/2021 Andrey Markovich SOROCHKIN Olimpiada Valentinovna Usanova Nizhniy Novgorod Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Nizhniy Novgorod   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 2 of CAO fine of RUB 30,000 Nizhniy Novgorod Regional Court 07/04/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 12.15 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 7 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. 4,000   52517/21 09/10/2021 Dmitriy Erikovich IONOV Anna Yevgenyevna Bochilo Barnaul Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Moscow   02/02/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 20,000 Moscow City Court 25/05/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 02/02/2021 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   52557/21 01/10/2021 Ilnur Rafisovich FATKHULLIN Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 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 3,500   52561/21 01/10/2021 Ayrat Rustemovich KHALILULLIN Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021     article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 11,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 05/05/2021   3,500   52563/21 01/10/2021 Ramil Rustamovich KHAYRUTDINOV Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 05/05/2021   3,500   52568/21 01/10/2021 Dinar Miyassarovich YUNUSOV Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 05/05/2021   3,500   52573/21 01/10/2021 Pavel Vitalyevich YELKOV Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 07/04/2021   3,500   52580/21 01/10/2021 Anna Vitalyevna MINIKAYEVA Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021       article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 07/04/2021   3,500   52586/21 01/10/2021 Kamilya Danilovna ZIATDINOVA Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 07/04/2021   3,500   52594/21 01/10/2021 Timur Kakhramanovich ABDURAKHMANOV Danil Ilnurovich Nurgaleyev Kazan Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Kazan   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Supreme Court of the Tatarstan Republic 07/04/2021   3,500   54453/21 14/10/2021 Yegor Igorevich PETROV Aleksey Sergeyevich Lapuzin Samara Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Samara   21/04/2021 article 20.2 § 8 of CAO detention of 28 days Samara Regional Court 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;   Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to the police station on 21/04/2021 for compiling an offence report 6,000   54464/21 15/10/2021 Sergey Olegovich BORISOV Olimpiada Valentinovna Usanova Nizhniy Novgorod Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Nizhniy Novgorod   31/01/2021     article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Nizhniy Novgorod Regional Court 15/04/2021 Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 12.20 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 2.40 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. 4,000   54476/21 22/10/2021 Timur Agilyevich MAMEDOV Aleksey Alekseyevich Vasilyev Moscow Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Moscow   23/01/2021 article 20.2 § 5 of CAO fine of RUB 20,000 Moscow City Court 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 . 3,500   54532/21 14/10/2021 Nikolay Valeryevich SEROV Olimpiada Valentinovna Usanova Nizhniy Novgorod Rally "Free Navalnyy"   Nizhniy Novgorod   31/01/2021 article 20.2 § 6.1 of CAO fine of RUB 10,000 Nizhniy Novgorod Regional Court 15/04/2021 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     [1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.