ECtHR awards compensation to Chechen woman for separation from children

Russian authorities have violated the rights of Luiza Tapaeva, a resident of Chechnya, by leaving her children under the care of the father of her deceased husband; therefore, they must pay her over EUR 16,000 in compensation for moral harm, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in May 2018, Luiza Tapaeva complained to the ECtHR about the decision of Chechen courts, which left her four children under the care of the father of her deceased husband.

On November 23, the ECtHR passed a decision on Luiza Tapaeva's case, finding that Russian authorities had violated Articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) against her.

The ECtHR has ruled that Russian authorities has failed to take all measures to help the mother reunite with her children, and obliged Russian authorities to pay Tapaeva EUR 16,250 in compensation for moral harm, says the post on the ECtHR's website.

In Northern Caucasus, divorced women face problems with obtaining custody over their children if their ex-husbands decide to keep kids with them. Relatives can hamper a mother's contacts with her children and put pressure on the children themselves, the human rights defenders earlier interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 23, 2021 at 06:12 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.