Russia Ordered to pay Over โโฌ250 โMillion by Europeanโ Court of Human Rights in Georgia Case
STRASBOURG, France โฃ – The โEuropean Court of โHuman Rights (ECtHR) has ruled โthat Russia โคmust pay over โฌ250โข million in compensation to victims of human rightsโฃ violations stemming โฃfrom the 2008 conflictโข with Georgia and subsequent โฃactions โin theโ breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The judgment, issued today, addressesโฃ a case โbrought by Georgia alleging โฃwidespread abuses related to the establishment of administrative demarcation lines and theirโ impact on the civilian population.
While the ruling legally obligates Russia to โpay, enforcementโข is considered highlyโ unlikely. The agency emphasized this, noting that Russia was excludedโข from the Council of Europe – where the ECtHR โoperates – โฃfollowing its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.โ despite remaining theoretically responsible for โpast violations,Moscow no longer recognizes the ECtHR’s rulings โคas binding and has refused to pay previous fines.
The ECtHR determined the compensation is due to overโ 23,000 Georgians subjected to “illegal restrictions” limiting access to โฃtheirโ homes, land, and families – a violation of their โฃright to private and family life and protection of property. Additional compensation will be awarded toโ thoseโข deprived of education in the Georgian language and approximately 2,500 individuals unlawfully detained after crossing the demarcation lines.
The ruling follows a 2023 ECtHR โขdecision establishing Russia’s obligation forโ establishing the administrative demarcation lines within Georgian territory. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe continues to monitor the implementation ofโฃ the Court’s judgments against โขRussia, reiterating Moscow’s obligation โขto comply.
The conflict between Russia and Georgia erupted in August 2008, following provocations involving Ossetianโ and Russian actors.The five-day war resulted in Russia blocking Georgia’s path to NATO โคmembership and effectively ceding control of the separatist โฃrepublics ofโ South โคOssetia and Abkhazia to Tbilisi.
