Russia in the lead in 2009 by number of claims submitted to ECtHR

By the outcomes of 2009, Russia is in the first place by the number of claims submitted against its government and pending consideration at the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR). This was reported by Jean-Paul Costa, the Chairman of the Strasbourg Court.

He welcomes ratification by both houses of the Russian parliament of the 14th Protocol to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), which institutes a reform of the ECtHR. Mr Costa notes that this step of the Russian party will enable to essentially simplify the passage of cases at the ECtHR.

The total number of claims that arrived from Russia in 2009 exceeds 13,600; while in total 33,500 claims against Russian authorities are waiting for their consideration by the Strasbourg Court. The majority of them refer to events in Chechnya.

Since the total number of cases yet to be considered is 119,300, the Russia's share makes 28.1 percent, as reported by the "Interfax" with reference to the press-service of an ECtHR.

However, experts explain Russia's leadership in the number of complaints just by the great population of our country.

"If we recalculate the burden by 100,000 of population, we'll see Russia's stable 15th-16th place among 47 Council of Europe member-states," the "NEWSru" quotes Georgiy Matyushkin, representative of the Russian Federation at the ECtHR.