THIRD SECTION
CASE OF DUBINKIN AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA
(Applications nos. 42985/21 and 25 others –
see appended list)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
13 November 2025
This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.
In the case of Dubinkin and Others v. Russia,
The European Court of Human Rights (Third Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:
Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, President,
Mateja Đurović,
Vasilka Sancin, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 23 October 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. They also raised other complaints under the provisions of the Convention.
THE LAW
JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.
JURISDICTION6. 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 CONVENTION7. 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). It further refers to Nemytov and Others v. Russia, nos. 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 case of Nemytov and Others (cited above) the Court found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case (see further 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).
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-LAW12. 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).
REMAINING COMPLAINTS14. Some applicants raised further additional complaints under Article 6 of the Convention concerning other aspects of the fairness of the administrative-offence proceedings. In view of the findings in paragraphs 11‑13 above, the Court considers that there is no need to deal separately with these remaining complaints
APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION15. 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 the 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 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 13 November 2025, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.
Viktoriya Maradudina Úna Ní Raifeartaigh
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]
42985/21
09/08/2021
Maksim Georgiyevich DUBINKIN
1983
Polyakov Daniil Alekseyevich
Voronezh
Rally "Free Navalnyy"
Voronezh
23/01/2021
article 20.2 § 5 of CAO
30 hours of community works
Voronezh Regional Court
11/02/2021
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings
3,500
58500/21
26/11/2021
Stanislav Denisovich FILIMONOV
1998
Pershakova Yelena Yuryevna
Moscow
Rally "Free Navalnyy"
Voronezh
31/01/2021
article 20.2 § 5 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
Voronezh Regional Court
28/05/2021
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings
3,500
58678/21
13/11/2021
Irina Dmitriyevna MYAZINA
2000
Polyakov Daniil Alekseyevich
Voronezh
Rally "Free Navalnyy"
Voronezh
31/01/2021
article 20.2 § 5 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
Voronezh Regional Court
13/05/2021
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to 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.
4,000
60808/21
24/11/2021
Maksim Vladimirovich GOLOV
1988
Polyakov Daniil Alekseyevich
Voronezh
Rally "Free Navalnyy"
Voronezh
31/01/2021
article 20.2 § 5 of CAO
fine of RUB 12,000
Voronezh Regional Court
25/05/2021
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to 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
4,000
13490/22
04/02/2022
Artem Valeryevich VAKALOV
1988
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Rally "Free Navalnyy"
St Petersburg
31/01/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
05/08/2021
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 1.00 p.m. on 31/01/2021 until 8.00 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.
4,000
13908/22
08/02/2022
Murad Serazhutdinovich ORUDZHEV
1982
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Rally "Free Navalnyy"
St Petersburg
21/04/2021
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
18/11/2021
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 11.55 p.m. on 21/04/2021 until 1.00 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.
4,000
33618/22
20/06/2022
Yuliya Igorevna YAKOVLEVA
1989
Gerasimov Dmitriy Georgiyevich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
01/03/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
community work of 98 hours
St Petersburg City Court
15/03/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 8.15 p.m. on 01/03/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 02/03/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
34378/22
22/06/2022
Rodion Albertovich LOSICH
1989
Semenov Daniil Aleksandrovich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
21/04/2021
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
23/12/2021
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
3,500
36752/22
15/07/2022
Mariya Konstantinovna TUZHILOVA
1993
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
06/03/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
05/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 4.30 p.m. on 06/03/2022 until 07/03/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
36753/22
15/07/2022
Nikolay Nikolayevich TUZHILOV
1994
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
06/03/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
05/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 4.30 p.m. on 06/03/2022 until 07/03/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
37366/22
21/07/2022
Liliya Kurusovna ISMAGILOVA
1969
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
27/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 20,000
St Petersburg City Court
31/03/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 5.30 p.m. on 27/02/2022 until 9.03 p.m. on 27/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
37373/22
21/07/2022
Kristina Mikhaylovna MALOLETKINA
1999
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
27/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
19/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 7.45 p.m. on 27/02/2022 for the following 5 hours,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
37452/22
21/07/2022
Diana Rinatovna GARIFANOVA
2002
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
25/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 11,000
St Petersburg City Court
29/03/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 11.30 p.m. on 25/02/2022 until 1.20 p.m. on 26/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
37461/22
21/07/2022
Yevgeniy Ruslanovich KOVRIGIN
1997
Mikhaylova Varvara Dmitriyevna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
27/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
17/05/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 6.20 p.m. on 27/02/2022 until 1.20 a.m. on 28/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38414/22
22/07/2022
Mariya Andreyevna RYABUNINA
2003
Gerasimova Yekaterina Viktorovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
06/03/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
24/05/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 8.00 p.m. on 06/03/2022 until 4.20 a.m. on 07/03/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38424/22
22/07/2022
Vladislav Olegovich GORLACHEV
1996
Gerasimova Yekaterina Viktorovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
27/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
26/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 7.10 p.m. on 27/02/2022 until 4.25 p.m. on 28/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38427/22
22/07/2022
Kristina Gennadyevna STOYANOVA
1982
Gerasimova Yekaterina Viktorovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
28/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
24/05/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 11.15 p.m. on 28/02/2022 until 3.30 p.m. on 01/03/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38457/22
22/07/2022
Anna Mikhaylovna KAMOLINA
1985
Gerasimova Yekaterina Viktorovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
27/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
26/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 6.10 p.m. on 27/02/2022 until 4.44 p.m. on 28/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38458/22
22/07/2022
Margarita Yevgenyevna MURZINOVA
1992
Gerasimova Yekaterina Viktorovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
27/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 15,000
St Petersburg City Court
29/03/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 6.20 p.m. on 27/02/2022 until 2.40 a.m. on 28/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38804/22
29/07/2022
Mariya Aleksandrovna RODOMANOVA
2003
Pilipenko Anastasiya Vladimirovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
24/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
07/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 7.00 p.m. on 24/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 25/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
38809/22
29/07/2022
Ivan Viktorovich OBIDEYKO
1988
Pilipenko Anastasiya Vladimirovna
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
24/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
29/03/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 7.00 p.m. on 24/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 25/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
40266/22
04/08/2022
Maya Vitalyevna YURKSHAT
1992
Ivanov Nikifor Yuryevich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
24/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
05/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 9.25 p.m. on 24/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 25/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
40274/22
04/08/2022
Grigoriy Aleksandrovich KNYAZEV
2000
Ivanov Nikifor Yuryevich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
24/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
05/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 9.25 p.m. on 24/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 25/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings
4,000
40276/22
04/08/2022
Dmitriy Dmitriyevich ROZHKOV
1990
Ivanov Nikifor Yuryevich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
24/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
05/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 10.13 p.m. on 24/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 25/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
44604/22
18/08/2022
Yevgeniya Viktorovna SHAKIRZYANOVA
1992
Ivanov Nikifor Yuryevich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
26/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 5,000
St Petersburg City Court
19/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 8.10 p.m. on 26/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 28/02/2022,
Art. 6 (1) - lack of impartiality of the tribunal in view of the absence of a prosecuting party in administrative-offence proceedings.
4,000
44608/22
18/08/2022
Vladimir Yuryevich NENOV
1992
Ivanov Nikifor Yuryevich
St Petersburg
Anti-war protest
St Petersburg
26/02/2022
article 20.2.2. § 1 of CAO
fine of RUB 10,000
St Petersburg City Court
19/04/2022
Art. 5 (1) - unlawful detention - escorting to and detention at the police station after compiling an offence report from 9.15 p.m. on 26/02/2022 until the court’s hearing held on 27/02/2022,
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.