HRW: Russia ignores ECtHR's decisions on Chechen residents' claims

The Russian authorities have failed to enforce the decisions of the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) on more than 30 cases of Chechnya residents, runs the report of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) published on September 27.

In the opinion of human rights advocates, Russia's ignoring decisions of the Strasbourg Court promotes escalation of violence in Northern Caucasus. "None of those guilty was brought to responsibility guilty - even when their names figured in court verdicts. Every unpunished crime is a signal to others that they one can get away with the most blatant human rights violations," said Jane Buchanan, one of the authors of the report.

Today the issue of holding debates on situation with human rights in Northern Caucasus will be voted at the PACE session, the Radio Liberty reports. 

Let us remind you that the Strasbourg Court receives a record number of complaints from Russians, most of them coming from residents of Chechnya. A great bulk of cases - claims worth millions euros per year - are lost by Russia. Strasbourg accuses Russia of regular default of enforcing judgements, and even threatens to suspend its membership in the Council of Europe. Russia, in its turn, doubts the objectivity of the ECtHR, the "Newsru.com" notes.

This edition remarks that in summer of 2009 Russian authorities announced their plans to pass a law on compensations to victims of counterterrorist operations, which could reduce the flow of appeals of Chechnya residents to Strasbourg.

Let us note that Russia has ratified the European Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; therefore, decisions of the Strasbourg Court are mandatory for it.