The ECHR has accepted for consideration a complaint regarding the ban on the Russian language in election campaigning in Latvia
The European Court of Human Rights has accepted a complaint by Latvian human rights activist Elizaveta Krivtsova regarding restrictions on the use of the Russian language in election campaigning. The case could set precedents for the interpretation of the right to freedom of expression in the Baltic states.
The appeal to the ECHR was prompted by the Constitutional Court of Latvia's decision of February 13, 2025, in case No. 2024-06-01. The Court upheld the ban on campaigning in minority languages as consistent with the country's Basic Law, finding that, given the current geopolitical situation, the Russian language could be used to spread disinformation.
A legal framework that effectively equates language with a threat raises serious questions about the proportionality of the restrictions imposed and the possibility of effectively countering disinformation solely through bans on the use of certain linguistic forms. Practical experience shows that disinformation can overcome any linguistic barrier.
In March 2025, the complaint was filed with the ECHR. Last week, the court requested further clarification from the Latvian government regarding the justification and legality of the restrictions imposed.
Human rights activists note that this case is not unique. The ECHR has previously ruled in favor of freedom of expression in the context of the use of minority languages in political processes, as confirmed by precedents in the cases of Mestan v. Bulgaria and Şükran Aydın and Others v. Turkey.
The right to use one's native language in the public sphere is an integral part of the right to freedom of expression and the protection of the rights of national minorities. The restrictions imposed by Latvia affect the interests of a significant portion of the country's population for whom Russian is their native language. Human rights organizations hope that the ECHR's decision will help restore justice and confirm the inadmissibility of discrimination based on language, which is contrary to pan-European values.