Information Note on the Court’s case-law 56

September 2003

Vatan v. Russia (dec.) - 47978/99

Decision 4.9.2003 [Section III]

Article 11

Article 11-1

Freedom of association

Suspension of the activities of the regional branch of a political party: admissible

The People’s Democratic Party Vatan is a political party which carries out its activities across the territory of the Russian Federation with the aim of protec ting and advancing the rights and freedoms of citizens of Tartar origin. A branch of Vatan was created in the Ulyanovsk region (the party was registered with the Regional Department of Justice). In 1997, the branch issued a statement against the celebratio n organised by the “war party” in Moscow for the 350 th anniversary of the founding of the city of Simbirsk, which was referred to as the date of “colonisation”. The announcement also contained calls in favour of increased teaching of the national language and the preservation of Islamic values. In 1998, the branch held a memorial ceremony in the city centre, although the permission it had obtained from the mayor had been confined to places of worship and cemeteries. The prosecutor applied for a suspension o f the branch’s activities as unconstitutional. The Regional Court granted the request and suspended the activities of the branch for six months, forbidding it ipso jure from holding meetings, demonstrations and other public actions or taking part in electi ons. The Regional Court mainly relied on the statements made in the 1997 announcement by the branch, as well as on other declarations from meetings and conferences of the party. The branch appealed to the Supreme Court, which upheld the Regional Court’s de cision. The branch was subsequently put into liquidation at the request of the Regional Department of Justice.

Admissible under Articles 9, 10, 11 and 14: The Court joined to the merits the Government’s preliminary objection concerning the appicants’s lac k of victim status.

© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.

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