The European Court of Human Rights delivered a stunning rebuke to Russia in a case concerning the 2008 Russia-Georgia War. The judgement in the Grand Chamber established the Russian Federation as responsible for the violations of international law and human rights during the August 2008 war and throughout its occupation of Georgian territories. The Strasbourg Court’s historic judgement is unprecedented, secures an international victory for Georgia, and is the first international legal assessment of Russia’s military aggression in 2008.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia praised the court’s ruling, asserting, “Today is the most important day in Georgia’s recent history. The Georgia-Russia dispute ended in Georgia’s victory at the European Court of Human Rights! This is a common victory!”
The European Court of Human Rights’ judgment reaffirmed the strong and unwavering support from the international community for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
The US Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia issued a statement on the court’s decision: “The Court’s ruling adds further weight to the international community’s demand that Russia cease its blatant violations of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia’s attempts to control and exploit the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia through borderization, arbitrary detentions, restrictions of movement across the administrative boundary lines, and establishment of socio-economic and military “agreements” between Russia and the two Georgian regions are particularly concerning and unacceptable. These actions threaten the lives, culture, and personal freedoms of people living in these Georgian territories, and deny them the ability to exercise rights and access opportunities that should be available to all Georgian citizens.”
This decision underscores the importance of the just and peaceful struggle of Georgia on its way to strengthening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Georgia will continue a peaceful pursuit to resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict, utilizing all available diplomatic and legal instruments to achieve the full de-occupation of Georgia’s indivisible regions, reconciliation and confidence-building between the war-torn communities, and unification and peaceful development of our country.