Georgian Foreign Affairs Ministry ignored the request to help victims of Russian aggression - GILA

GILA on the August 2008 War

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association issued a statement on the 16th anniversary of the 2008 August war, revealing that it had appealed to the Foreign Affairs Ministry to use all Council of Europe resources to create an international compensation fund for victims of the August war but received no response.

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What the statement says

According to the organization, the damage caused by Russia remains a pressing issue. There are unresolved concerns regarding the rights of people living in occupied territories, ethnic Georgians facing discrimination, creeping occupation, so-called “borderization,” and the safety of residents near the line of occupation.

The statement also highlights serious problems such as illegal detentions for allegedly crossing the border and the killing of local resident Tamaz Ginturi by Russian occupying forces. It notes the severe socio-economic conditions in villages near the line of occupation, with high unemployment and limited access to basic services.

“On January 26, 2024, GILA appealed to the Georgian Foreign Affairs Ministry to use all available Council of Europe resources to create an international compensation fund for those affected by Russia during and after the August war. However, GILA has not yet received a response from the ministry. The state needs to utilize all diplomatic and international legal mechanisms to ensure the enforcement of the European Court of Human Rights’ decisions regarding Russia.

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Instead, the Georgian government is openly fighting against civil society using the “Russian law” [a term used to refer to the “foreign agents” law]. This law targets civil society, which plays a crucial role in protecting the rights of those affected by the conflict at both international and national levels.

The “Russian law” and other trends that intensify rights restrictions also threaten the country’s Euro-Atlantic course, which is enshrined in Georgia’s Constitution and is a vital guarantee for protecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the obligation for compensation imposed on Russia by the European Court remains unenforced.

On April 28, 2023, the European Court ordered the Russian Federation to pay Georgia €130 million in relation to the August war, based on a decision made on January 21, 2021, regarding the interstate dispute.

The Russian Federation is not cooperating with international organizations, has been excluded from the Council of Europe, and its stated policy is to refuse to fulfill the obligations imposed by the European Court, including the payment of the compensation sum,” the statement reads.

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On August 7, 2008, the long-standing conflict between Russia and Georgia escalated into open military aggression by Russia, resulting in hundreds of casualties, ethnic cleansing, and the occupation of two Georgian regions by Russia.