The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has fined the Russian state a total of $2 billion for violating its citizens’ rights and freedoms in the 20 years since Russia became a member.
Russia joined the Council of Europe (CoE), which oversees the ECHR, in 1996 and ratified the European Convention on Human Rights in May 1998.
Over the past 20 years, ECHR has awarded Russian claimants 1.95 billion euros ($2.2 billion), the Public Verdict human rights organization reported, citing CoE data.
The project said Russia paid out an estimated 1.6 million euros between 2002, when the first judgment was handed out, and 2007.
The most common ruling against Russia concerned violations of the right to a fair trial, with more than 1,000 cases, followed by rulings on torture and inhumane treatment.