ECtHR exacted a compensation from Russia for relatives of a man kidnapped in Chechnya

Today European Court of Human Rights brought a verdict on the case “Suleimanov vs. Russia” obliging the authorities of the Russian Federation to pay a compensation to the relatives of kidnapped resident of Chechnya Tamerlan Suleimanov.

Suleimanov’s abduction in Grozny on May, 9, 2011, was reported by eyewitnesses. Two days before the abduction, May, 7, 2011, Suleimanov was beaten up and tortured by members of the top brass, a source in one of the human rights organizations reported on the condition of anonymity.  

On May, 24, 2011, “Memorial” Human Rights Center submitted a complaint to European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Tamerlan Suleimanov’s father. On July, 26, ECtHR demanded that the authorities of the Russian Federation should verify the information of Tamerlan Suleimanov’s location by the database within the jurisdiction of Kurchaloy district of Chechnya, however it turned out impossible to find the young man.

European Court of Human Rights considered that the Russian authorities violated clause 3 (inhuman or humiliating treatment) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for there was no thorough investigation of kidnapping of resident of Chechnya Tamerlan Suleimanov.

However, according to HRC “Memorial”, ECtHR did not take into consideration the evidence of law enforcement bodies’ involvement in the crime.

ECtHR obliged Russia to pay Tamerlan Suleimanov’s father a compensation of 12,5 thousand euros for moral damage and 6 thousand euros recovery of legal expenses, Russian Agency of Legal and Juridical Information reports.