Russia found guilty of conducting electoral manipulations
The European Court of Human Rights has judged Russia accountable for barring an opposition figure, Lev Markovitch Schlosberg, from taking part in the 2021 parliamentary elections. The court situated in Strasbourg, declared that Schlosberg's candidacy denial was an infringement on the right to free and fair elections. The Russian authorities' justification - involvement in an opposition rally - was judged "unfair".
Schlosberg had participated in a show of solidarity for the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny in January 2021, post his recuperation from a poisoning attempt and subsequent detention upon his return to Russia. A couple of months later, a Moscow court decided that Schlosberg was ineligible to contest in the Duma elections due to this participation. The Strasbourg court ordered Russia to pay a compensation of 5000 euros and legal expenses amounting to 7500 euros.
The court stressed that the liberty to join a peaceful protest is a fundamental right, and exercising this freedom should not result in penalties, especially by preventing participation in parliamentary elections.
The European Court of Human Rights believed it had jurisdiction over this matter as the incidents occurred during a time when Russia was still bound by the European Convention on Human Rights. Russia officially left the Council of Europe in September 2022, following its expulsion due to the ruthless conflict against Ukraine. Despite departure, numerous cases against Russia were still in process at that time.
The Russian government's decision to bar Schlosberg from the elections contradicts its commitment to upholding opposition views. Moving forward, continuous involvement in peaceful protests should not impose restrictions on an individual's right to run for parliament.
