CoE’s Committee of Ministers Calls on Russia to Pay to Deportation Victims “Without Delay”

During its 1355th meeting on September 23-25, 2019, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers considered the execution of the European Court’s judgment on deportation of Georgian citizens from the Russian Federation in 2006.

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on January 31 that the Russian Federation has to pay 10 million Euros in compensation for damages related to mass deportation of Georgian nationals from Russia in 2006.

The Committee of Ministers noted that the deadline for payment expired on 30 April 2019 and that no payment has yet been made. It underlined that there is an unconditional obligation under Article 46 § 1 of the Convention to pay the just satisfaction awarded by the Court and therefore called upon the Russian authorities “to pay without delay the sums awarded together with the default interest accrued.”

The Committee of Ministers said that it decided to resume consideration of this issue at their 1362nd meeting in December, 2019. In a statement released on September 26, the Georgian Ministry of Justice said that all necessary measures will be taken to ensure that Russia fulfills its obligations.

The ECHR ruled in July, 2014 that there had been a violation of the European Convention of Human Rights in respect of prohibition of collective expulsion of aliens; right to liberty and security; right to judicial review of detention; prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment; right to an effective remedy.

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