TBILISI, January 21 – A Georgian legal watchdog has filed a written position at the European human rights court in cases brought by Georgian soldiers and their families against Russia, linked to the 2008 war.
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association said it submitted its arguments to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on behalf of several Georgian military personnel and relatives of fallen soldiers, including the family of Giorgi Antsukhelidze.
According to the organization, the cases concern actions carried out by Russian forces and South Ossetian armed groups during the August 2008 armed conflict. The applicants argue that these actions caused both material and moral harm to Georgian soldiers who were captured, as well as to the families of those who were killed.
The legal filing states that some Georgian servicemen were deliberately killed with extreme cruelty while in captivity during the international armed conflict. It argues that the treatment of the captured soldiers and their families was discriminatory, pointing to the fact that the victims were ethnic Georgians and citizens of Georgia.
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association is seeking financial compensation from the Russian Federation for both material losses and moral suffering. In addition, the organization has asked the Strasbourg court to support the creation of an international compensation mechanism for victims of the 2008 war.
The group says such a mechanism would help ensure access to justice for people affected by the conflict, many of whom have pursued legal remedies for years.
The August 2008 war between Georgia and Russia led to a brief but intense war, after which Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent entities, a move rejected by Georgia and most of the international community.
