On February 11, 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that the Russian Federation violated the right to freedom of expression by imposing fines, prosecuting individuals, and blocking independent news outlets that published information critical of the war in Ukraine.

The ruling detailed how the Russian government passed legislation prohibiting the dissemination of undesirable information about the war. As a result, Russian authorities blocked access to independent media outlets, including Novaya Gazeta, Dozhd TV, 7×7, Mediazona, Sobesednik, Agentstvo, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, BBC Russian Service, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other foreign media with Russian‑language content. Russian authorities also threatened journalists with prosecution.

In addition to the mass media, the judgment included 161 individual applications involving people prosecuted for their anti-war statements and activism. The Russian government targeted a broad range of actions, including journalists participating in anti-war reporting projects, individuals convicted for sharing anti-war posts on social media, and protesters fined or detained for displaying anti-war messages such as “No to War” or “For Peace”, and individuals participating in anti-war demonstrations.

The ECtHR ruled that Russia has violated Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the right to hold opinions and to receive and impart information without government interference. The Court concluded that Russia’s measures were disproportionate, unnecessary in a democratic society, and constituted a direct violation of freedom of expression.

Additionally, the Court found that Russia has violated other provisions of the Convention, including Articles 3, 5(1), 5(3), 5(4), 8, and 34 due to the unlawful arrests, pre-trial detentions, and judicial proceedings against the applicants. The ECtHR ordered the Russian Federation to provide financial compensation to the applicants within three months.