European Court Strikes Out 879 Russian Human Rights Cases
Amnesty International condemns the European Court of Human Rights for removing 879 cases against Russia, calling it a denial of justice for victims of
The European Court of Human Rights has struck 879 pending applications against Russia from its docket. Amnesty International's regional director called the September 2026 decision a denial of justice for hundreds of victims.
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, stated the move is deeply disappointing. She said it deprives individuals of their last hope for justice. The Court justified its action by citing the cases' lesser importance to legal precedent and a lack of resources for examination. Struthers argued these reasons are not sufficient justification.
"The decision to deny these victims their day in court cannot be justified by Russia’s refusal to execute Court judgments, or the fact that the remaining applications raise no novel questions of law, or restraints on resources," Struthers said. She demanded the decision be reversed and the cases reinstated.
The Court's Rationale and Background
The Court announced its decision on 3 September 2026. It acknowledged the applications contained potentially well-founded allegations of human rights violations. However, it ruled they did not raise issues of marked importance for establishing Russia's responsibility under the European Convention on Human Rights. The cases also did not require further development of the Court's existing case law. The oldest of these struck-out cases had been pending since 2007.
Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe on 16 March 2022 for its war of aggression against Ukraine. It ceased to be a party to the European Convention on Human Rights on 16 September 2022. Despite this, the ECtHR retains legal jurisdiction over alleged violations committed before that latter date.
Scope of the Affected Cases
The 879 applications covered a range of alleged violations under the Convention. The issues cited in the Court's Lebedeva and Others v. Russia decision provide examples. They included abuses of fair-trial rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of movement. Cases concerning conditions of detention and property rights were also removed.
Specific applicants named in the source include former prisoners of conscience. Human rights defender Oyub Titiev and opposition activist Andrei Borovikov had cases struck. Applications from the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and its leader Stanislav Dmitrievsky were removed. A case from politician and prisoner of conscience Lev Shlosberg was also among those struck out.
Calls for Action and Accountability
Amnesty International called on Council of Europe member states to take two key actions. First, they must ensure the ECtHR receives the necessary financial and human resources to fulfil its fundamental role. The organization stated resource constraints should not prevent the Court from hearing cases.
Second, member states should exhaust all available means to hold Russia accountable. Struthers emphasized that Russia's obligations under the Convention did not simply vanish. The obligation to implement judgments through individual measures remains. This includes the payment of compensation to victims.
The organization insists the decision should be reversed. It argues that the victims' right to truth, justice, and reparation is being denied. For many, the European Court was their final avenue for redress.
