PRESS RELEASE ON THE DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE CASE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF POLITICAL STUDIES AGAINST THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
STRASBOURG 18.06.2024: In a judgment published this morning, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favour of the Association of the Council of Europe’s Schools of Political Studies (ASPS). The Court condemned the Russian Federation which, on 25 December 2020, had classified this Strasbourg-based NGO as an “undesirable organisation” under Vladimir Putin’s 2015 legislation aimed at silencing dissident voices, NGOs, the media and human rights defenders.
The Russian courts had found that the ASPS, which groups some twenty Schools of Political Studies in Europe and North Africa, was a threat to the constitutional order and security of their country. In particular, they considered that promoting a democratic culture among young Russian leaders constituted open interference in their country’s internal affairs.
The Strasbourg Court ruled that the Russian Federation had violated Article 11 (freedom of assembly and association) of the European Convention on Human Rights interpreted in the light of Article 10 (freedom of expression). The ASPS had argued in its application that the classification as an “undesirable organisation” was unforeseeable and restricted its freedom of expression and association.
Welcoming the Court’s decision, the President of the ASPS Nils Muižnieks said, “We welcome this decision, which vindicates us and similar organisations which have been unjustly targeted by the Russian authorities. While Russia is no longer a member of the Council of Europe, the judgement sends a strong signal to other governments and could serve as one of many guideposts for Russia to follow if and when it wants to return to the democratic community of nations.”
The proceedings before the Russian courts and the application to the ECHR would not have been possible without the unfailing commitment and pro bono assistance of Kirill Koroteev, Director of the international Department of the Russian NGO, AGORA International Group for the Defence of Human rights and former Legal Director of the “Memorial” Human Rights Centre.