25 June 2024

The European Court of Human Rights Finds Russia Responsible for Systematic Human Rights Violations in Crimea

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued a landmark ruling, holding Russia accountable for systematic human rights violations in Crimea. This is the first final decision by an international court regarding Crimea and represents the first interstate case brought before the ECHR, one of three lawsuits filed by Ukraine against Russia since 2014.

The ECHR found the Russian government responsible for the administrative practice of systematic human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol since February 2014. These violations include unlawful detentions, illegal dissemination of Russian legislation, forced passportization of Ukrainian citizens, prohibition of peaceful assemblies and protests, discrimination against Crimean Tatars, forced transfer of convicts to the territory of the Russian Federation, and the shutdown of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar media.

This decision disproves Russia’s claims on international platforms about its observance of human rights in occupied Crimea, negating a decade-long narrative. Several conclusions and violations, such as the spread of Russian legislation and forced change of citizenship, were recognized by the ECHR for the first time in its history, making this decision unique.

“This is an important stage and result on the way to bringing the aggressor to international legal accountability!” stated Marharyta Sokorenko, the Commissioner for the European Court of Human Rights.