The Russian state was behind ten “disappearances” in Chechnya between 2002 and 2003, the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The Court had been formally requested to investigate the cases by the families of the victims. The disappearances all shared similar characteristics, with the arrests taking place during Russia’s routine military operations in Chechnya.

The Strasbourg Court has ruled that the victims’ right to life was violated, proper investigations were not carried out, the arrests prior to the disappearances were illegal, the victims’ relatives suffered inhumane treatment, and – moreover – their complaints were ignored by the Russian authorities.

The European Court has ordered Russia to pay 429,000 Euro in compensation to the applicants, who are mostly relatives of the victims. According to Lliga dels Drets dels Pobles (League of Peoples’ Rights), every year the Court receives 10,000 complaints against Russia, which has never ratified Protocol 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, intended to make the Court’s operations more efficient.

The trial was attended by two Russian human rights organizations, Russian Justice Initiative and the Memorial Human Rights Centre.

Further information:

• Lliga dels Drets dels Pobles: El Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos condena a Rusia en cinco casos sobre Chechenia
  
• Jurist: Europe rights court holds Russia responsible for Chechen disappearances
  
• RIA Novosti: Strasbourg court orders Russia to pay compensation for abductions
• Amnesty International: Russian authorities ruled responsible for Chechen women's disappearance
• European Court of Human Rights