Roman Abramovich takes Jersey to European human rights court over criminal investigation

Original article by Rob Davies

Roman Abramovich has gone to the European court of human rights (ECHR), claiming that a criminal investigation into his financial affairs by the Jersey authorities has breached his human rights, according to reports.

The former owner of Chelsea FC, who is under UK sanctions over his links to Vladimir Putin, is being investigated in Jersey over allegations of corruption and money laundering.

In a claim filed to the ECHR, lawyers for Abramovich said the actions taken by the Channel Island, where £5.3bn of his assets are frozen, were “unfair and abusive”.

The investigation has previously resulted in a company owned by the billionaire oligarch to say that the £2.4bn proceeds of the sale of Chelsea, which have been promised to the victims of the Ukraine war but are yet to be released, could be viewed by Jersey as the proceed of crime.

Representatives of Abramovich told the Times: “This investigation, which has dragged on for years without charges, transparency or credible evidence, represents a clear abuse of power by the government of Jersey and a violation of fundamental rights.

“Authorities have withheld key information and ignored basic procedural safeguards, showing how this is not a legitimate legal process but one driven by political motives.”

“We expect the European court of human rights to recognise these failures and reach the same conclusion.”

Abramovich has previously succeeded in a legal attempt to force ministers and other senior figures in Jersey to produce private messages, emails and other data related to him that would be made public as result of the investigation.

His claim at the ECHR argues that his right to a fair trial under article 6 of the European convention on human rights has been infringed, according to the Times, which first reported the filing.

According to the report, Abramovich also claims that his right to privacy, under article 8, was breached by a public announcement about the investigation, made by Jersey in 2022, because he had not been charged with any offence.

The UK government is the official respondent to the claim, the documents say, according to the report.

Representatives for the oligarch say the Jersey case is delaying the release of funds from the sale of Chelsea. The British government has threatened to sue Abramovich to force the release of funds, amid reports of disagreement over how the money will be used.

Britain wants the money to be ringfenced for use in Ukraine, in line with a wider European push for Moscow to foot the bill for the devastation caused by its invasion.

However, Abramovich has indicated that he wants more flexibility over how the money, which he has pledged to donate for charitable purposes, would be spent.

When he announced his intention to sell the club in March 2022, he said the proceeds would be used “for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine”, leaving open the possibility that money could be diverted to areas of Ukraine annexed by Russia.

The Guardian has approached the government and Abramovich for comment.