ECHR Condemns Systematic Human Rights Violations By Russian-Controlled Forces In Georgia's Occupied Regions

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has delivered a unanimous verdict declaring that Russian-controlled forces in Georgia's occupied regions have systematically violated human rights. The ECHR identified serious breaches of multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. These included fundamental rights such as the right to life, prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment, right to liberty and security, right to respect for private and family life, protection of property, right to education, and freedom of movement. The matter pertained to the aftermath of the 2008-armed conflict between Georgia and Russia, specifically focusing on the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Following the conflict, Russia established control over these regions, leading to a situation where Georgia contends that Russian-controlled forces have systematically violated human rights, particularly regarding the administration of these territories. One major point of contention is the process of "borderization" initiated by Russia since 2009. This involves the demarcation and fortification of administrative boundary lines between Georgian-controlled territory and the occupied regions. Georgia argued that this borderization process severely restricts the free movement of people, leading to numerous human rights violations, including unlawful arrests, detentions, ill-treatment, and even killings of individuals attempting to cross these boundaries. Furthermore, Georgia asserted that the borderization measures have had far-reaching socio-economic consequences, such as the displacement of communities, the separation of families, and the deprivation of land essential for farming. The ECHR unanimously found that Russian-controlled forces in Georgia's occupied regions have systematically violated human rights. The Commission held that the incidents of human rights violations were not isolated but constituted a pattern or system of abuse. There are several other cases filed by Georgia against Russia on several claims: Georgia v. Russia (I): This case (application no. 13255/07) centered on the arrest, detention, and expulsion from the Russian Federation of Georgian nationals in the autumn of 2006.Georgia v. Russia (II): In this case (application no. 38263/08), Georgia brought forward claims related to the 2008-armed conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation and its aftermath. Georgia v. Russia (III): This case (application no. 61186/09) pertained to the detention of four Georgian minors by the de facto authorities of South Ossetia. The ECHR decided to strike the application out of its list of cases (Article 37 § 1 (a) of the Convention) in 2010.

ECHR Condemns Systematic Human Rights Violations By Russian-Controlled Forces In Georgia's Occupied Regions

Rajesh Kumar

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