The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered Russia to pay Georgia over 253 million euros in compensation for human rights violations committed after the 2008 war between the two countries, Euractiv reported, reports News.bg.
The court's ruling states that Moscow restricted the free movement of people between Georgian-controlled territories and the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia recognized as independent after the conflict.
According to the ECHR, Russian forces committed a number of serious violations – including excessive use of force, physical abuse, unlawful arrests and restrictions on daily movement across administrative borders.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain outside the control of the Georgian state and under strong Russian influence to this day.
The Strasbourg court awarded Tbilisi over 253 million euros in damages for the damage suffered by more than 29,000 affected individuals.
Although Russia left the ECHR in 2022 following the start of the war in Ukraine, the court stressed that the country remains responsible for violations committed before its formal withdrawal.