The case of Ivanyushchenko v. Switzerland before the European Court of Human Rights: international sanctions, reputation and fundamental rights

On 2 July 2026, the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in the Ivanyushchenko v. Switzerland case, a particularly complex international dispute concerning the consequences of sanctions imposed on former Ukrainian political leaders following the events of 2014.

I had the honour of representing Mr Yuriy Ivanyushchenko before the Swiss courts and subsequently before the European Court of Human Rights.

A legal dispute at the intersection of European law, international sanctions and the protection of reputation

The case raised a particularly sensitive question: can a person remain on a public sanctions list, accessible to all, for many years, even though several proceedings brought in different states have progressed or been concluded?

The appeal centred in particular on the reputational consequences of my client’s name remaining on a list published by the Swiss authorities as part of the asset freeze targeting the former entourage of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

An unprecedented legal issue before the Court

One of the main issues was to establish that the prolonged inclusion of a person’s name on a public sanctions list could fall within the scope of the right to respect for private life protected by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

On this point, the Court established several important principles:

  • Article 8 applies to serious infringements of reputation;
  • the continued inclusion of a person’s name on a public list for a considerable period may reach the threshold of seriousness required by the Convention;
  • the issue warrants thorough examination from the perspective of fundamental rights.

Recognition of the issues surrounding sanctions and restrictive measures

Although the Court ultimately held that the Swiss authorities had not exceeded their margin of appreciation in this case, the judgment serves as a useful reference for all practitioners dealing with restrictive measures, asset freezes, Interpol proceedings or international compliance disputes.

Those affected by such measures often face consequences that go far beyond purely financial aspects: reputation, access to financial services , international trade relations, mobility and even risks relating to banking compliance systems.

Expertise in complex international litigation

My firm regularly handles cases involving:

  • Interpol Red Notices and alerts;
  • asset freezes and international sanctions;
  • extradition;
  • international judicial cooperation;
  • appeals to the European Court of Human Rights;
  • litigation concerning fundamental rights in an international context.

Each case requires a coordinated strategy across multiple jurisdictions and in several countries, often spanning several years.

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