COE Calls On Russia to Pay Compensation to Georgian Deportation Victims
In a decision adopted during the 1383rd meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers held on September 29 – October 1, Ministers’ Deputies expressed ”deep concern” that Russia has not yet paid compensation to at least 1,500 Georgian citizens deported from Russian Federation in 2006, and once again urged Russia to enforce the decision ruled by the European Court.
"Recalling that in its judgment on just satisfaction, of 31 January 2019, the European Court held that the respondent State is to pay the applicant government, within three months, EUR 10,000,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage suffered by a group of at least 1,500 Georgian nationals who were the individual victims of the violations and that this amount should be distributed by the applicant government to the individual victims under the supervision of the Committee of Ministers within 18 months of the date of the payment or within any other time-limit considered appropriate by the Committee of Ministers," notes the decision of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
"Recalling also that the deadline for payment expired on 30 April 2019 and, expressing deep concern that no payment has yet been made, insisted on the unconditional obligation under Article 46 § 1 of the Convention to pay the just satisfaction awarded by the Court;
"Noting the preliminary informal consultations between the Secretariat and the Russian authorities which took place since the last examination, strongly urged the latter to move forward rapidly with the consultations in order to either directly pay the just satisfaction to the applicant Government or to commit to using the Council of Europe as an intermediary for that payment;
"Decided to resume consideration of this case at their 1390th meeting (December 2020) (DH) and in the absence of such tangible progress by 12 November 2020, instructed the Secretariat to prepare a draft interim resolution for consideration at that meeting," reads the decision.
By Ana Dumbadze