ECtHR defends Novaya Gazeta’s right to criticize Kadyrov

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that Russia is to pay compensation to human rights defender Oleg Orlov, the “Memorial”*, the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta”, and journalist Vyacheslav Izmailov for persecution on charges of defamation against Ramzan Kadyrov.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 6, 2009, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow granted Ramzan Kadyrov’s claim against Oleg Orlov, the head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*, for the protection of honour and dignity.

The conflict between the leader of Chechnya and the human rights defender concerned the statements voiced by Oleg Orlov about Ramzan Kadyrov’s responsibility for the murder of Natalia Estemirova, an employee of the “Memorial”. The ECtHR recognized that the right to freedom of speech was violated in the case.

The Strasbourg Court’s ruling notes that politicians and public sector employees “are subject to a wider scope of acceptable criticism than private individuals” and that the truth of value judgments is not subject to proof.

“Although the accusations against Ramzan Kadyrov were serious, the complainants did not directly accuse him of ordering the murder, but rather referred to his possible moral responsibility in the context of the persecution of human rights defenders,” the European Court announces on its official website.

*The organization has been put on the register of foreign agents by the Russian Ministry of Justice.