The European Court of Human Rights has announced its final decision in a major interstate case that combines complaints from Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia regarding numerous human rights violations during the war before and after February 24, 2022, and regarding the downing of flight MH17. The ECHR officially found the aggressor country, Russia, guilty.
Points of attention
- The court holds Russia responsible for systemic human rights violations in the occupied territories before and after February 24, 2022.
- The ECHR concludes that the downing of flight MH17 was carried out with a Russian Buk air defense system, attributing the responsibility to Russia.
What is known about Russia's new serious defeat?
What is important to understand is that this is a case that combines 4 interstate complaints against Russia to the ECHR from Ukraine and the Netherlands:
Ukraine v. Russia (No. 8019/16) — violations during the armed conflict in Donbas, including the shooting down of MH17, torture, forced labor, etc.;
Ukraine v. Russia (No. 43800/14) — abduction and illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation in 2014;
Netherlands v. Russia (No. 28525/20) — circumstances and consequences of the downing of flight MH17;
Ukraine v. Russia (No. 11055/22) — gross human rights violations during the full-scale invasion since February 24, 2022.
The court found the Russian Federation guilty of numerous human rights violations that occurred in the occupied territories before and after February 24, 2022, and their massive and systemic nature.
The ECHR concluded that flight MH17 over the Donetsk region was shot down by a Russian Buk air defense system, and Russia bears responsibility for making this possible.
