Moscow is afraid of European
actions brought in by Chechens.
On 16 January, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg approved
six actions brought in by the Chechens against Russia, charging official
Moscow in the person of the Russian military and special services with the summary
executions and violation of human rights of the plaintiffs and their relatives.
Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Oleg Mironov supposes
that in case the court makes decision for the benefit of the plaintiffs, the Chechens
will apply to this European court instance on a mass scale, as, reminds Oleg Mironov,
at the request of the European Court in Strasbourg Russia will be obliged to compensate
them for the material and moral damage, and bring legal rules and legislation
of the Russian Federation in accord to the European standards and rules.
This time not in words only, but actually. Mironov is of the opinion that Chechens
as formal citizens of Russian Federation have the right to apply to the European
court in defence of law if they failed to find justice in Russia. According to
Oleg Mironov, having applied to the court in Strasbourg with their complaints
and suits, the Chechens chose a civilized way to defend their rights and interests.
The Chairman of Russia's State Duma Legislation Committee Pavel Krasheninnikov
also shares the opinion that Chechen plaintiffs act within the framework of legal
state, Krasheninikov says, in case the verdict of the European Court is favorable
for the Chechens it will be a signal for the Russian court system. Krasheninnikov
noted that there are lots of them on the both sides who suffered in Chechnya,
however no one has been punished so far for the crimes committed there.