Orthodox Television Foundation v. Google

On March 14, 2023, the Moscow Arbitrazh Court entered a judgment under Article 248.1 of the Russian Arbitrazh Procedure Code in favor of Russia’s Orthodox Television Foundation. The High Court of South Africa granted interim measures attaching the assets of Google group companies in South Africa in proceedings to recognize and enforce the Russian judgment. However, on January 22, 2025, the High Court of England and Wales, in a claim brought by Google LLC and Google Ireland, issued an injunction barring enforcement of that Russian judgment outside Russia (an anti-enforcement injunction).

The first known case in which an attempt to enforce a Russian court judgment issued under Article 248.1 of the Russian Arbitrazh Procedure Code achieved interim success, within a series of disputes over the blocking of Russian media outlets’ YouTube channels. In parallel, however, an English court barred its enforcement abroad.