The European Court of Human Rights by decision of February 11, 2025 granted the lawsuit of the Russian Novaya Gazeta and another 160 plaintiffs against the Russian Federation, the violation of the Human Rights Convention regarding the Protection of Fundamental Freedoms, when the Russian authorities in March 2022 were prohibited from publishing and demonstrating an anti -Russian position.

The publication and other participants in the lawsuit sued with the ECHR to Russia due to the introduction of a number of laws and regulations in March 2022, which in Russia introduced the punishment for “discrediting the army” or “distribution of fakes” about the army about the army. Subsequently, the Russian Federation withdrew a number of licenses in the media and banned their activities on its territory, and also sentenced a number (including Ukrainian) journalists and public figures to real prison terms.

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The court noted that the powers to consider the case, since the events took place until September 16, 2022, when Russia ceased to be an ECHR.

According to the court’s conclusion, Russia violated Article 10 of the freedom of expression of opinions, and the applicants were persecuted, subjected to various sanctions and restrictions, and also applied exclusive and disproportionate punishments against them. At the same time, all these events were part of a wider campaign to suppress dissent in military operations in Ukraine.

According to the decision of the ECHR, Russia must pay compensation to the plaintiffs in various volumes due to the damage caused: up to 7,500 euros (depending on the declared amount) for intangible damage and up to 850 euros for the legal costs of each of the applicants.

At the same time, the Russian government on February 11 supported new norms on the strengthening of the punishment for “discrediting” the army, according to which the convicts will confiscate property.