The ECHR is investigating a complaint from Finnish citizens who believe Helsinki is infringing upon their basic rights.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has requested that Finland address allegations that its border closure with Russia is violating the rights of its Russian-speaking residents, who are unable to travel to Russia for various reasons.
According to court documents released on Monday, the case was filed by nine Finnish citizens or residents of Russian descent. They argue that the government’s repeated border closures, which began in November 2023, have negatively impacted their personal lives, including their ability to see family, practice their religion, and manage their property.
Since the conflict in Ukraine escalated in 2022, Finland has been gradually tightening security along its border with Russia. However, most of the restrictions were implemented in 2023, after Helsinki accused Moscow of intentionally directing illegal migrants to the country, an accusation Russia denies.
Most of the plaintiffs claim that the restrictions have prevented them from visiting family members. One person stated that they had to resign from their job in Russia. Two others mentioned that they have been unable to visit their relatives’ graves several times a year, as required by Orthodox Christian tradition. Another claimant stated that she is unable to collect her Russian pension due to EU sanctions against Russian banks and border restrictions.
The ECHR has formally asked Finnish authorities if the closure violated the claimants’ right to a private and family life. The court also questioned whether the claimants were denied access to justice after Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court dismissed their appeal in March 2024. The court cited that the claimants lacked standing because the closures did not specifically target them.
Despite current geopolitical tensions, Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated on Tuesday that Finland should “mentally prepare [itself] for the fact that relations [with Russia] will open up on a political level at some point.” He also noted, “Nothing removes the fact that Russia is, and will always be, Finland’s neighbor – 1,350km of neighborly relations,”
In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented that Russia has “never had problems with Finland or Sweden,” but accused both countries – which joined NATO following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict – of “dragging” NATO’s military infrastructure into their territory. He reiterated President Vladimir Putin’s stance that Russia remains open to normalizing relations with any country that wishes to do so.