European Court: Russia to pay 110,000 euros for execution of Muscovites in Ingushetia

The Russian budget will have to allocate almost 110,000 euros because of the murder by "federals" of two Moscow residents in Ingushetia. This verdict of the European Court for Human Rights (ECtHR) became the consequence of recognition of Russia responsible for murdering Khalid Khaushev (born in 1969) and Kazbek Akiev (born in 1970), the "Caucasian Knot" reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by Ole Solvang, Director of the Moscow-based representative office of the Dutch Foundation fund "Legal Initiative for Russia", who represented the interests of the victims' relatives in Strasbourg, the Russian authorities will have to pay out 100,000 euros as compensation of non-material damage to seven applicants - relatives of the casualties. Three closest relatives, including victims' mothers Khamzan Asheva and Laila Khatsieva, will receive 20,000 euros each. The remaining four relatives will get 10,000 euros each.

Besides, the Russian Federation will pay 9150 euros as indemnification of judicial expenses of the applicants and their representatives.

The "Caucasian Knot" has informed that the European Court has recognized violation by the authorities of Russia of applicants' rights under Article 2 (the right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to the murder of their relatives and failure to run an appropriate investigation into the crime. Also, the Court has ruled that the state had violated Article 13 of the Convention, having failed to ensure the right of the applicants to effective means of legal defence.

This is the first decision of the Strasbourg Court, in which Russia is found guilty of murdering civilians in Ingushetia by state servants.

According to the Court, on August 6, 2000, a Russian military helicopter opened fire, for no apparent reason, at a group of persons who were mowing grass on the hills near the Ingush village of Arshty, in the border with Chechnya. Khalid Khaushev and Kazbek Akiev were killed.