Georgian rights defenders assess consequences of ECtHR decision on claim against Russia

The decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which found Russia involved in human rights violations in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, will help in speeding up the consideration of the armed conflict at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and will make it possible to achieve a decision at the UN International Court of Justice on the return of the lost territories, the Georgian human rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 21, 2021, the ECtHR ruled that Russia was involved in human rights violation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but was not responsible for the hostilities in August 2008.

The ECtHR's decision is "a triumph of law," Ucha Nanuashvili, a former Georgian Ombudsperson, has stated. It will help to accelerate the consideration of the case by The Hague Court, he has added.

Mr Nanuashvili believes that the decision of the ECtHR may ease for the International Criminal Court in The Hague to prove the crimes against humanity, genocide and ethnic cleansings.

By its decision, the ECtHR gas indicated that Abkhazia and South Ossetia belong to Georgia, Professor of Political Sciences Nika Chitadze from the Black Sea University, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. This will allow Georgia to complaint to the UN International Court of Justice against Russia's decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, he has added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 22, 2021 at 03:17 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.