COE Urges Russia to Pay Compensation to Georgia Immediately
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Friday, September 27
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe says that Russia has an “unconditional obligation” to fulfill the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and pay ˆ10 million to Georgian citizens illegally deported in 2006.
The decision also stated that due to the delay of the payment by Russia (until April 30, 2019), Russia would be charged default interest. The Committee of Ministers also indicated to the Russian Federation that the payment of compensation under Article 46 of the European Convention is its "unconditional obligation."
The discussion of the issue was held between September 23-25, and the conclusion was released earlier yesterday.
The Georgian government says that in 2006 more than 4,600 expulsion orders were issued by Russian authorities against Georgian nationals. More than 2,300 were detained and forcibly expelled and the remaining left the country by their own means. The mass deportation was preceded by the arrest of four Russian officers on charges of espionage by the previous government of Georgia in September 2006.
Despite opposition from the Russian Federation, the committee satisfied Georgia's demand and re-debated "deported case" at its next meeting in December 2019.
"Within the framework of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs of Georgia will take all necessary measures to ensure that the Russian Federation fulfills its obligations under the Strasbourg Court, with which the public will be kept informed," it said.
On January 31, 2019, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights announced its decision on the case of Georgian citizens deported from Russia. The Russian Federation was ordered to pay 10 million euros in compensation to Georgia.
However, the Russian Federation for at least 1,500 Georgian citizens expelled in 2006. The compensation has not yet been paid, as Georgia's Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani said on January 31, 2019, to impose a fine on Russia for all exceeded terms.
The Russian parliament did not recognize Georgia's victory in the Strasbourg court and did not even begin to pay.
The Ministry of Justice of Georgia also addressed the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on May 2, and given that Russia did not pay the sum imposed by the court within the three-month period set before May 1, 2019, Georgia requested that the committee review the case under enhanced scrutiny and debate. The committee was also asked to receive an official explanation from Russia for failing to comply.
