European Court of Human Rights fined Russia for a loss of 24 residents of Chechnya during bombings in 2000

European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has fined Russia to an unprecedented sum of 1,72 million euros for a loss of 24 residents of Chechnya during bombings in Achkhoy-Martan district in February, 2000. The plaintiffs were 29 residents of Chechnya who had failed to obtain the desired results in the Russian juridical instances.

According the plaintiffs' statement, in the beginning of February, 2000, the settlement of Katir-Yurt in Ackhoy-Martan district got under control of a group of gunmen who had escaped from Grozny. As a result, Russian troops subjected the settlement with the population of 25 thousand people to artillery shelling and bombing, 24 people perished.

During an investigation carried out in 2002 the Russian authorities arrived at a conclusion that the actions of the military men had been justified. After an appeal in March, 2006, the court passed the case back to the Public prosecutor's office. According to a demand of the Strasbourg Court, by that moment the Russian authorities had to start a repeated investigation on another case, i.e. the case of Zara Isayeva, resident of the same village whose three nephews and a son perished during the bombing. However, in June, 2007, the case was closed down for the same reasons as it was in 2002.

Russian authorities state that the storm of the settlement was justified by an active resistance of the participants of illegal paramilitary groups who had blocked the corridor for rescuing local residents and used people as a human shield.

The court regarded the circumstances of the case and resolved that the military operation had had a lawful purpose but it had been planned and carried out without due care of the lives of civil population.

The total fine sum for moral damage on the case makes 1,72 million euros. In addition, the Russian authorities will have to pay off legal costs to a sum of 2,2 thousand euros, Russian Agency of Legal and Court Information reports.