Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on the Judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the case concerning the August 2008 Russia-Georgia War

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia refers to the historic Judgement by the European Court of Human Rights regarding the case concerning the Russia-Georgia war, which legally established the responsibility of the Russian Federation for violations of the fundamental norms of international law and human rights during the August 2008 war and in the period of further occupation of Georgian territories by Russia.

The Judgment of the Strasbourg Court is an unprecedented international victory of the Georgian state and the first international legal assessment of Russia’s military aggression in 2008, which ruled that the Russian Federation has been responsible for the abuses committed during the August 2008 war as well as afterwards, in the period of the occupation. The European Court of Human Rights has unequivocally established the responsibility of the Russian Federation for the violations of the fundamental human rights such as: deprivation of the right to life; torture, inhuman and degrading treatment; ethnic cleansing; violation of the right to liberty and security; infringement of the rights to freedom of movement, the right to respect for private and family life and the property rights. The Strasbourg Court found the Russian Federation responsible for deliberate burning, looting and destroying of the Georgian villages, as well as violating the rights of hundreds of thousands of IDPs and refugees to return to their homes.

It is of utmost importance that the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Russian Federation has been illegally occupying and exercising effective control over Georgia’s indivisible regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, and has been violating the 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement. It is noteworthy that the Strasbourg Court also confirmed the fact that the August 2008 war was waged between two states – the Russian Federation and Georgia, and Russia invaded into the territory of Georgia.

The decision of the European Court of Human Rights reaffirmed the strong stance of international law and the international community in support to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

The Judgment of the Strasbourg Court provides the crucial international legal basis for success of further efforts by Georgia and the international community aimed at protecting the rights of people affected by the Russia-Georgia conflict. 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 further pursuit of the policy of peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict, utilising all available diplomatic and legal instruments in an effort for de-occupation of Georgia's indivisible regions, reconciliation and confidence-building between the war-torn communities, and unification and peaceful development of our country.