The ECHR recognized the illegal elimination of the organization of assistance to refugees "Assistance" in 2008

The European Court of Human Rights recognized the unlawful liquidation of the Russian organization of assistance to refugees “Assistance” in 2008. The court ordered the Russian authorities to pay three applicants Valery Magyarov, Lydia Turdyeva and the hope of Lipans 10 thousand euros as compensation for moral damage.

The court in Strasbourg concluded that the Russian authorities violated articles on the right to freedom of associations and meetings and the right to effective means of legal protection (Articles 11 and 13 of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms).

As stated in the document, in 2007, after an unsuccessful attempt to find “assistance” at the address of registration, the Ministry of Justice Office for the Vladimir Region filed a lawsuit to dissolve the organization, claiming that it stopped working. The Leninsky District Court granted the lawsuit, but “assistance” appealed this decision.

On February 4, 2008, the Vladimir Regional Court decided to close “assistance”, referring to the fact that the organization had not submitted annual reports over the past nine years, did not notify the authorities about the re -election of the chairman and did not report a change in the address. Representatives of "assistance" did not deny these violations, but insisted that their elimination was possible without the elimination of the organization. In addition, they regarded the decision of the authorities as an attempt to put pressure on civil society.

On April 22, 2008, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized as legal a decision to eliminate "assistance". On October 20 of the same year, representatives of the liquidated organization filed a complaint with the ECHR.

The European Court “cannot agree with the Government of the Russian Federation that the dissolution was“ necessary in a democratic society ”or that it was justified by the seriousness of the violations committed by the investigator.” “The indicated violations were purely formal and were not related to the essence of the activities of the applicant organization. It was not proven that the latter acted unscrupulous or intentionally hiding the information, ”the Memorial human rights center quoted the ECHR.

The court also noted that the Ministry of Justice did not have sufficient grounds for the dissolution of the organization, which had been operating for more than 10 years.

"Assistance" was founded in Vladimir in 1997. The organization provided legal assistance to refugees and migrants in the region and represented their interests in local courts.