Limitation of Human Rights and Freedoms amid New Global Challenges (Lessons from the Pandemic)

Globalization has had far-reaching effects on all key spheres of public life, leading to mixed outcomes, both positive and negative. One of the recent global trends is the fast and large-scale spread of viral infections, which has profoundly reshaped the economic landscapes, political environments, and government systems of most states. As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, governments worldwide were forced to impose unprecedented restrictions that interfered with fundamental human rights, such as the freedom of movement and speech, to curb the virus spread. It sparked rigorous debate among the academic community and practicing lawyers. This article overviews the measures taken by Russia and other states in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The obtained results highlight the need to legally establish new conceptual frameworks related to disease control, as well as to develop clear legal guidelines on optional and mandatory steps that public authorities should take in order to ensure the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population. Therefore, it was concluded that certain legal provisions must be specified to define the grounds and extent to which the rights and freedoms of citizens can be limited in case of viral epidemics.