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:
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
5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.
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).
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). 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.
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).
14. 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
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,
(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)
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.