ECHR Recognized Violation of Rights of Another 16 Jehovah's Witnesses from Russia

On July 18, 2024, the European Court of Human Rights granted nine applications by Jehovah's Witnesses from Russia at the same time, who were subjected to unlawful searches, arrests, and convictions for practising their religion. The Russian Federation is obliged to pay the believers 156,000 euros in compensation and 4,000 euros in legal costs.

The court ruling concerns 14 men and 2 women. Most of them have already served terms or suspended sentences: Sergey and Anastasia Polyakov, Konstantin Bazhenov, Aleksey Budenchuk, Feliks Makhammadiyev, Gennadiy German, Aleksey Miretskiy, Roman Gridasov, Mariya Karpova, Marat Abdulgalimov, Arsen Abdullaev and Anton Dergalev. Valeriy Moskalenko paid a fine. Irina Buglak continues to serve a suspended sentence. Dmitriy Barmakin, sentenced to 8 years imprisonment, is awaiting transfer to a penal colony. And the case of Roman Makhnev is expected to go to court soon.

According to the ECHR decision, the Russian Federation violated three provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms regarding the applicants. The court classed the detention of believers in metal cages during the hearings degrading treatment (Article 3), and considered their detention, searches and seizure of property groundless and unlawful (Article 5). The ECHR also found that the applicants had been subjected to arbitrary criminal prosecution merely for practicing their faith, which was in violation of the Article on freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 9).

Russia ceased being party to the European Convention on Human Rights on September 16, 2022, but the consideration of these applications was within the jurisdiction of the ECHR — they cover events that took place in 2018-2020. The Russian Federation remains obliged to pay the compensation awarded to the believers, including those awarded under other decisions of the European Court. The total amount already exceeds 3,600,000 euros.