Special Coverage

Sentencing of former intelligence officer Vladimir Kvachkov - live updates

The Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) hosts a live text broadcast of Vladimir Kvachkov's sentencing from the Moscow City Court. The former intelligence officer stands accused of having masterminded a coup d’état plot in what has come to be popularly known as the Crossbow Coup case.

13:47 08.02.2013

Berezovsky and his ex-flame grapple over estate sale proceeds

Boris Berezovsky, a storied tycoon who fled from Russia at the turn of the millennium after a rapid fall from grace, has found himself in the High Court of Justice once again, this time at the receiving end of a massive freeze order sought by long-time ex-girlfriend Yelena Gorbunova.

14:36 24.01.2013

Russia scrambles to improve detainee rights record under ECHR guidance

In response to the shocking volume of complaints launched on the basis of pre-trial detention conditions in Russia, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) opted to issue a pilot-decision aimed at strengthening the protections in the country guaranteed under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention), which prohibits torture and inhuman and degrading treatment. Nearly a year after the passage of the pilot-judgment, RAPSI decided to take a look back at the progress that has been made thus far.

10:30 09.01.2013

Top 10 criminal dramas of 2012

2012 has left us with no shortage of criminal drama. In a year replete with momentous judgments, epic downfalls, political intrigue, and revolutionary aftermaths, RAPSI struggled to pick just ten events to highlight. Still, we have chosen the ten judgments that – in our view, and in no particular order – best illustrated 2012’s criminal legacy. Please note, we have excluded cases that occurred primarily within Russia, as those called for a list of their own.

10:02 28.12.2012

Behind the scenes of Madonna's gay propaganda trial

We had been told prior to our arrival that the courtroom would be quite small and the battle for seats quite brutal. As it turned out, “small” meant about the size of a walk-in closet. As journalists began accumulating in the corridor of the building that looked remarkably like a space ship from an old sci-fi novel, the tension was palpable.

18:18 28.11.2012

Dispute over parallel imports in Russia

The Russian Supreme Commercial Court is soon expected to define its position on parallel imports, or the import of goods by unauthorized distributors without the trademark holder's consent. Its presidium will consider the lawsuit between businessman Sergei Chudov and the customs authorities on November 13.

17:11 06.11.2012

Legal methods of fighting filicide

Last year, 1,762 children were murdered in Russia. Of those, 30% were killed by parents or other close relatives and relations. This is the fourth year in a row that child murder-rate figures have neared 2,000.

09:00 06.11.2012

Emerging trends of international arbitration

In an effort to bridge the gaps between current and preferred practices, a major survey released last week is pulling back the drapes on the emerging trends of international arbitration.

16:08 09.10.2012

'Innocence of Muslims' reveals deadly clash of freedoms

On September 8, the trailer for a low-grade and (at that point) almost universally unknown film aimed at discrediting Islam was aired by an Egyptian television network. By most accounts, the film is outrageous. Still, its silencing comes at the cost of free speech.

09:32 22.09.2012

Louboutin v. YSL: in the battle for the red-lacquered sole, everyone wins

Louboutin’s telltale red lacquered soles are entitled to trademark protection, so long as that protection extends only to contrasting red soles, and not to monochromatic designs. In so deciding, a panel of US federal judges for the Manhattan-based Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed in part a lower court decision which had centered on the theory that within the fashion industry a single color can never serve as a trademark.

10:25 08.09.2012

Top news

Russian courts allowed not to implement rulings of Europe's human rights court

Russia's Supreme Court proposed not to implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

12:53 09.12.2025

Redomiciliation stalls: How sanctions are shaping new practices for Russian companies

The mechanism for redomiciliating foreign companies to Russian jurisdiction, in effect since 2018, has recently encountered serious obstacles. Taking into account the background of sanctions-related restrictions introduced in 2022 through 2025, it has become extremely difficult to achieve the goal. The situation gave rise to the phenomenon of dual domicile and led to a rise in the number of new litigations, both in Russia and abroad.

12:32 09.12.2025

Soldiers jailed for killing US journalist Russell Bentley

A military court in Donetsk sentenced three soldiers to up to 12 years in prison for torturing and killing Russell Bentley, a 63-year-old U.S. national who collaborated with Sputnik news agency.

14:05 08.12.2025