Russia, Ukraine panned by European Human Rights Court over 2008, 2014 abuses
The European Court of Human Rights has found that Russia committed abuses in areas seized from Georgia in 2008. It also ruled that the Ukrainian state was responsible for the death of a protester during 2014 protests.
August 2008. Russia troops in South Ossetia. Vladimir Putin had reverted to being Russian Prime Minister
Russia s 2008 routing of Georgian troops from South Ossetia and its occupation of Abkhazia, and likewise, Ukraine s Maidan protests of 2013-2014, had culminated in state abuses, ruled the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in twin rulings.
Guided by the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights, the Strasbourg-based judges found Thursday that Russia as occupier of the breakaway Georgian regions in 2008 was responsible for inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees.
7 January 2021
Felix Corley, Forum 18
Despite his offer to perform alternative civilian service, Khujand Military Court today (7 January) jailed Rustamjon Norov for three and a half years, the longest known sentence. The court claimed the 22-year-old Jehovah s Witness conscientious objector falsified his medical history to evade compulsory military service, charges he denies. While held in a military unit in October 2020, he was threatened with torture if he did not put on a military uniform.
Khujand Military Court in northern Tajikistan today (7 January) jailed Rustamjon Norov, a 22-year-old Jehovah s Witness conscientious objector to military service, for three and a half years. Prosecutors accused prisoner of conscience Norov of falsifying his medical history to evade compulsory military service, charges he denies. He had offered to perform alternative civilian service, but against Tajikistan s international human rights obligations the regime does not offer this.