UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Solovyev and 17 Others v. Russia, opinion No. 10/2020, adopted on 1 May 2020
“… the actions of the 18 individuals have been peaceful, and there is no evidence that any of them have been violent or have incited others to violence. The Working Group notes that these 18 individuals are part of a now ever-growing number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Russian Federation who have been arrested, detained and charged with criminal activity on the basis of mere exercise of freedom of religion, a right protected by article 18 of the Covenant. The Working Group therefore concludes that the arrest and detention of [the 18 individuals] was [arbitrary and] discriminatory on the basis of religion”
For information on other legal victories, please see below:
- Alushkin v. Russia, opinion No. 34/2019, adopted on 12 August 2019 (WGAD).
- Mikhaylov v. Russia, opinion No. 11/2019, adopted on 26 April 2019 (WGAD).
- Krupko and Others v. Russia, no. 26587/07, 26 June 2014 (ECHR).
- Khachatryan and Others v. Armenia, no. 23978/06, 27 November 2012 (ECHR).
- Kuznetsov and Others v. Russia, no. 184/02, 11 January 2007 (ECHR).