ECtHR awards compensation to Novocherkassk journalist posthumously

On October 8, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) obliges Russia to pay over 3000 euros of compensation to Novocherkassk journalist Elena Nadtoka, who was fined in 2007 under the City Mayor's lawsuit on protection of honour.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that this is the second case of Elena Nadtoka, in which the ECtHR pronounced a decision in her favour. The Russian courts considered the journalist's first case in 2004, when she was fined 50,000 roubles for harsh criticism of the Novocherkassk Mayor in her article. However, after in 2016, the European Court recognized that the Russian authorities violated the journalist's right to freedom of expression, in 2017, the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia cancelled the verdict against Elena Nadtoka.

On October 8, the ECtHR pronounced a decision in the Elena Nadtoka's case, in which it found a violation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guaranteed the right to freedom of expression. According to the ECtHR's decision, Russia will have to pay the journalist 3000 euros in compensation for non-pecuniary damage, as well as 850 euros in compensation for legal costs and expenses, reported the press service of the Centre for the Protection of Media Rights on its website on October 8.

The compensation is awarded posthumously, and payments are to be received by a daughter of Elena Nadtoka.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 9, 2019 at 12:02 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.