14:52, 24 October 2013

ECtHR finds violations of Chechnya residents' rights in connection with disappearances and deaths of their relatives

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg has decided that Russian authorities had violated the rights of citizens of Chechnya in the case of disappearances and deaths of their relatives in 2001-2004. Seven applicants were awarded compensations in the sum of 300,000 euros, says the decision of the ECtHR released today.

The above case had combined four complaints. The applicants reported that bodies of four out of five of their missing relatives were later discovered; while the fate of one man remains unknown. Investigations had been initiated on the above disappearances and deaths; however, they were suspended and are still incomplete, the applicants assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported several decisions of the ECtHR on complaints of residents of Northern Caucasus were announced on October 10. In particular, the court satisfied the lawsuit that had united ten complaints lodged by residents of Chechnya in connection with disappearances of 13 of their relatives in 2000-2005. A similar decision was made by the ECtHR in relation to missing relatives of Ingush residents, who disappeared in 2002-2005.