Volodina v. Russia: Upholding Women’s Rights

On the 14th of September, the European Court of Human Rights rendered its second judgment on the Volodina v. Russia case. The first judgment was celebrated for its vindication of women’s rights and domestic abuse in the digital space, by specifying that Russia had failed to adopt legislation which adequately protected women from violence in a manner which allows them to live “free from fear of ill-treatment or attacks on their physical integrity and to benefit from the equal protection of the law” (Equal Trust Rights). The second judgment pertains to the role and responsibility of the Russian authorities in the escalating violence Volodina faced. This included the creation of false online profiles, publishing her nude photos online and sending her death threats (Registrar of the Court, 1). The applicant’s complaint that the Russian authorities had failed to protect her from the online violence she experienced was considered well-founded. In support of this position, the Court took note of the fact that Russia had not implemented a restraining order against the perpetrator, the two year-delay in a criminal investigation, and the lack of progress which ultimately resulted in the discontinuation of the case under the domestic Statute of Limitations. Henceforth, the Court ruled that Russia had violated the right to respect for private life as codified under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. For more detailed information, please visit: https://www.equalrightstrust.org/news/court-watch-victory-volodina-v-russia-state-found-violation-european-convention-human-rights; http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=002-13397