Support The Moscow Times!

EHCR Orders Russia to Pay $700K in Chechen Disappearances

The European Court of Human Rights ordered Russian authorities to pay 533,000 euros ($704, 000) as compensation for human rights violations involving disappearances and killings in Chechnya.

The plaintiffs in the first case are 16 natives of Chechnya, relatives of six men and two women who "disappeared in or around Grozny between 2000 and 2002 after being apprehended by groups of armed men whom the applicants believed were Russian military or security forces," EHCR said in a statement Thursday.

The women were later found dead with signs of violent deaths and the men are still listed as missing.

Tumisha Saidova, the second plaintiff, has not seen her son Ramzan Saidov since August, 2002, when he was taken from his home by armed men in masks and camouflage.

In both cases, the plaintiffs claimed that their relatives had disappeared after being detained by Russian soldiers and accused authorities of not carrying out a proper investigation into their disappearances.

In the first case the Court found Russia guilty of violating several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including the victims' right to life and right to liberty and security.

The ECHR also ordered the Russian government to pay the 16 relatives a total compensation of 523,000 euros.

The Court found no violation under the right to life in the case of Tumisha Saidova but ruled that the authorities had failed to effectively investigate the disappearance of the her son and ordered Russia to pay her 10,000 euros.

Related articles:

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more