Cases on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia

The 1993 Constitutional Court Case on the Treaty of Union

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The 1993 Constitutional Court case on the Treaty of Union was a landmark decision addressing the constitutional foundations of Russian statehood during the collapse of the Soviet Union. It involved the Court’s review of the Treaty on the Union of Sovereign States and related constitutional questions. The case established the Constitutional Court as a key arbiter of federal relations during a period of constitutional instability.

Background

Following the August 1991 coup attempt, the Soviet Union underwent rapid dissolution. In early 1993, President Yeltsin and the leadership of the Russian Federation were negotiating a new Federative Treaty to define relations between the federal government and the republics within Russia. The Treaty of Union addressed the distribution of powers between federal and regional authorities. The negotiations took place against the background of the “parade of sovereignties” in which many republics asserted their sovereignty and demanded greater autonomy.

Constitutional Amendments on Presidential Term Limits

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Russian constitutional amendments on presidential term limits represent the most significant changes to the 1993 Constitution since its adoption. The amendments, approved by referendum in July 2020, restructured the presidency and fundamentally altered the constitutional architecture of the Russian state. The changes have had profound implications for Russian political development and the balance of power within the constitutional system.

Background

The 1993 Constitution originally limited the President to two consecutive terms. Vladimir Putin served two terms from 2000 to 2008, then as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012, and returned to the presidency in 2012. In 2020, President Putin proposed sweeping constitutional amendments that included resetting the presidential term limit. The proposal followed years of speculation about Putin’s political future and the constitutional mechanisms that might allow him to remain in power.

Konovalov v Russia: Fair Trial Rights Under Article 6 ECHR

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Konovalov v Russia (Application No. 37934/08) was a landmark judgment of the European Court of Human Rights delivered on 2 October 2014, concerning violations of the right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case illuminated systemic problems in Russian criminal procedure, particularly concerning the rights of the defense during the preliminary investigation stage and the use of evidence obtained in violation of procedural guarantees.

Navalny v Russia: Criminal Prosecution, ECHR Applications, and the Rule of Law

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The legal cases surrounding Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition politician and anti-corruption activist, represent one of the most significant bodies of jurisprudence concerning Russian criminal justice, political rights, and the relationship between Russian domestic law and European human rights protection. Navalny’s legal battles spanned criminal convictions, administrative penalties, ECHR applications, and the unprecedented designation of his political organizations as extremist entities. These cases collectively illuminate the state of the rule of law in contemporary Russia.

The Yukos Oil Company Case: Tax Reassessment, Bankruptcy, and International Arbitration

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Yukos Oil Company case is the most significant commercial law case in post-Soviet Russian legal history, with profound implications for property rights protection, the rule of law, and the relationship between Russia and international legal institutions. The case encompassed a massive tax reassessment campaign, forced bankruptcy, the auction of core assets, and litigation before the European Court of Human Rights and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The legal proceedings raised fundamental questions about the independence of the Russian judiciary, the protection of property rights, and the limits of state power over economic activity.