The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Tuesday ruled in favour of Russia in two human rights cases, finding the country’s handling of the employment and criminal cases did not violate the European Convention on Human Rights.

In Kramareva v. Russia, a Russian employee claimed a wrongful termination after another person was employed to perform the same duties on a full-time basis. A Russian court found the termination of Kramareva’s employment was lawful in accordance with the domestic labour statute and granted only pecuniary damages. The applicant appealed to the Russian Supreme Court, but the case was dismissed.

Kramareva brought the case to the ECHR, arguing that Russia violated the right to a fair hearing under Articles 1 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The ECHR concluded that the Russian courts followed all appropriate procedures, that there was no undue influence by the prosecutor and that there was no evidence to substantiate the employee’s argument.

In a second case, Manannikov v. Russia, the applicant was convicted of an administrative offence for his failure to take down an allegedly provocative anti-Putin banner he displayed during a public event organised in the run-up to the legislative elections of December 2007. Manannikov argued that his right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights was violated.

The ECHR held that Russian law allows interference with a citizen’s right to freedom of expression to protect public safety and order. According to the court, the police order was issued to protect public order, and the applicant’s actions during the public event interfered with that order. Therefore, the ECHR found the domestic court’s punishment proportionate.