Is is obvious that for European authorities fundamental rights are only theory when they are active in the area of combatting crime. This was shown in a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the mother of a sanctioned person.

From the press release:

The General Court annuls the restrictive measures applied to Ms Violetta Prigozhina, mother of Mr Yevgeniy Prigozhin, in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine

Even if the latter is responsible for actions undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, the link between Ms Prigozhina and her son established at the time of the adoption of the contested acts is based solely on their family relationship and is therefore not sufficient to justify her inclusion on the contested lists (…)

Consequently, the link that would amount to an association between the two persons established at the time of the adoption of the contested acts and upon which the Council relied on that date is based solely on their family relationship, which, in view of the criterion applied by the Council in the present case, the statement of reasons on which the contested acts are based and the case-law of the Court of Justice, is not sufficient to justify her inclusion on the contested lists.

It is disappointing to see that court intervention is needed to get European authorities to respect fundamental rights.

More information:

• Press release in English and in es – fr – it – pl – pt.
• Judgment of the General Court in case T-212/22 of 8 March 2023, ECLI:EU:T:2023:104, general information, English version.