In Kalmykia, parents of children who were HIV-infected seek compensation from the state

The parents of the children who were infected with HIV back in 1988 in Kalmykia demand compensation from the state of their moral harm. This was reported by Ochir Shovgurov, a member of the initiative group. According to his story, back in June this year the parents filed a suit to the Elista City Court, which, in its turn, demanded a document from them on recognition them to be the "aggrieved party", since earlier they were witnesses in the case.

As reported by Ochir Shovgurov, in the case, which was opened after the incident, the parents acted as "witnesses". In this case, no compensation should be paid to them. "At that time, the status of the 'aggrieved party' was granted to only some of them," he said.

On September 7, a group of parents addressed their complaint to the regional investigatory committee demanding to cancel the statement to stop the criminal case and recognize them as the aggrieved party in order to receive monetary compensation for their moral sufferings.

Earlier, all their individual appeals gave no result.

While narrating the circumstances of the 1988 tragedy, Mr Shovgurov has noted that at present out of 74 then infected children only 30 are alive. "Children were dying in hands of their mothers and fathers. Someone was a half year old; others perished at 16. Some of them could not withstand the trials and committed suicide. All this time the poor parents have been trying to achieve justice," he said.

The regional investigatory committee refused from comments on parents' complaint, saying that the documents had been sent Alexander Bastrykin, Chair of the ICRF.

Parents have decided to wait for an official response from the ICRF, and, should the answer be negative, to submit a lawsuit on recognizing them as the aggrieved party, the RIA Novosti reports.