Russland: European Court of Human Rights ruling: Russia found guilty of violating religious freedom in Ukraine

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on the case of Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, covering the period from 2014 to 2022, as Russia withdrew from the Convention on September 16, 2022.This was reported by CREDO. The ruling of July 9, 2025 states that during its military aggression in Ukraine, Russia violated numerous provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, specifically concerning freedom of religion. The violations include intimidation, harassment, and persecution of various religious groups, with the exception of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This constitutes a breach of Article 9 of the Convention, which safeguards freedom of religion.

The court stated, in particular: 1269. The evidence indicates that since May 2014, freedom of religion has been severely restricted in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Separatists in the self-proclaimed ‘DPR’ and ‘LPR’ immediately recognized the UOC as the primary religious group in these areas. They engaged in the persecution and harassment of religious ministers and civilians, which violates international humanitarian law. There are numerous reports detailing the ill-treatment of religious leaders, abductions during religious events, and, in some cases, killings perpetrated by separatists in eastern Ukraine. From the context of these numerous incidents, it is evident that these individuals were targeted due to their positions as leaders of religious communities. This is part of a wider pattern of violating the rights of those not belonging to the UOC to practice their religion. Furthermore, there is evidence that separatist administrations have banned religious materials that they labeled as 'extremist'.

1270. Evidence also shows that since 2016, the ‘DPR’ and ‘LPR’ have begun implementing formal requirements for the registration and activities of religious groups. Some religious organizations were declared 'extremist' and banned based on these criteria, leading to the confiscation and destruction of their religious materials and publications. Religious leaders and congregants faced persecution for allegedly organizing or participating in illegal gatherings.

1271. In 2022, the Russian occupation administration 'nationalized' the property of religious communities and repurposed it for its own use.

Reference: The case “Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia” is an interstate legal proceeding that combines complaints from Ukraine and the Netherlands against the Russian Federation regarding large-scale human rights violations in Ukraine since 2014. This includes the downing of a Boeing 777 aircraft and full-scale aggression in 2022. It is one of the largest interstate cases in the history of the European Court of Human Rights, marked by a high number of rights violations, substantial evidence, and numerous victims. (Quelle: www.risu.ua, 8. August 2025)