Georgia’s Ministry of Justice, in coordination with the government, will submit a lawsuit against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the newspaper Vzglyad reports. Georgia’s Minister of Jusice, Tea Tsulukiani, stated that the case is being initiated regarding Georgian citizen Archil Tatunashvili, who died in South Ossetia in February of this year.

“The process of preparing claims started during the period when Georgian authorities were doing everything possible to get Tatunashvili’s remains,” Tsulukiani stated, assuring that preparation will be completed as quickly as possible.
“The defendant in this case will surely be the Russian Federation,” Tsulukiani stated.

South Ossetia asserted that Tatunashvili died during an escape attempt after being detained together with two other Georgians. Georgia considers Russia to be responsible for what happened, since Russia has annexed Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and fully controls them.
Tatunashvili’s body was given to Georgia in March—nearly one month after his death.

Four years ago, in a separate case, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of Georgia after deciding that Russia violated several provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights by deporting Georgian citizens in 2006.  

Georgia additionally plans to sue Russia in Strasbourg and in The Hague in two other cases regarding the war of 2008.

  Georgia, lawsuit against Russia

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