On December 16, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favor of Alexei Navalny and the Anti-Corruption Foundation in the largest case ever brought to the Court by ACF.

The ruling concerns a consolidated case comprising 140 individual applications filed since 2019. The Court found that Russian authorities carried out a coordinated and politically motivated campaign against Alexei Navalny, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, and the network of Navalny’s regional headquarters.

The ECHR concluded that the criminal investigation into alleged “money laundering,” along with mass raids, property seizures, bank account freezes, and the obstruction of ACF’s work, served no legitimate legal purpose. Instead, these measures were used to suppress lawful political opposition and dismantle the political infrastructure created by Navalny.

The Court ruled that Russia violated multiple provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to freedom of assembly and association, the right to the peaceful enjoyment of property, and the right to a fair trial. Crucially, the Court also found a violation of Article 18 of the Convention, which prohibits the use of state power for purposes other than those for which it is formally granted — confirming that the authorities acted with a political motive.

In its judgment, the ECHR emphasized that these violations were neither isolated or accidental, but instead formed part of a systematic and deliberate effort to intimidate supporters, paralyze organizations, and eliminate Alexei Navalny as a political actor.

Cases in which the ECHR explicitly acknowledges political motivation behind state repression are exceptionally rare.

The Court’s conclusions confirm what ACF has stated consistently for years: the criminal prosecutions, the designation of Navalny’s organizations as “extremist,” and subsequent repression were all elements of a single, continuous campaign.

While this ruling cannot undo the consequences of repression inside Russia today, it will serve as a crucial piece of evidence in future investigations into the crimes of the Putin regime and will shape international legal and political assessments of its actions.

The Anti-Corruption Foundation continues its work and its struggle for the Russia Alexei Navalny believed in — peaceful, democratic, and free.

We are grateful to those who helped us in this case. Especially to professor Philip Leach, whose assistance was invaluable.