Russia's Supreme Court issues a ruling that could revolutionize archival research

Last week, Russia's Supreme Court ruled that state and municipal archives must allow visitors to photograph, scan, or copy whatever accessible documents they wish (provided that they do so at their own expense).

In its ruling, the court struck down regulations put in place by the Ministry of Culture in 2013 that prohibit visitors from using digital and photographic devices to copy archival documents. Visitors will now be allowed to use their own equipment (including laptops), so long as they are disconnected from the archive's area network and they do not disturb other researchers.

The suit was brought by Andrei Galinichev, a researcher and human rights activist who for years has been suing Russian archives in lower courts. In one victory, for instance, he succeeded in reducing the fees charged on copying and digitization services in archives. (State archives were charging 500 rubles ($8) to copy a single page, and imposing an additional “preservation fee.”) The ban on using cameras and scanning devices forced researchers to use these expensive services.

Officials from the Ministry of Culture defended the prohibition on photographing and scanning, arguing that it posed no limitations on visitors' access to available documents and preserved archival reading rooms as spaces where individuals could freely locate information. Officials argued that allowing researchers to scan and photograph documents will result in damage to fragile materials. “In most cases,” the ministry's lawyers said, “they will need to force the pages straight and flat, damaging the binding.”

Supreme Court Justice Nikolai Ramanenkov concluded that the restrictions on copying and photographing contradict Russia's federal laws on the legal use and dissemination of archival materials.