The Russian Federation was again found guilty of violation of human rights in the Transnistrian region. The public association “Promo-LEX” presented two recent decisions by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) by which Russia is obliged to pay slightly over €149,000 damages to two Transnistrians, IPN reports.

“Promo-LEX” programs director Alexandru Postica told a news conference that Russia was found guilty of violation of the rights to freedom, safety, not to be subject to torture and to ownership in the case of Transnistrian businessman Vitalie Eryomenko, who had been held in jail for five years since 2011 for alleged acts of swindle and had been subject to inhuman and degrading treatment. Meanwhile, Eryomenko’s businesses were appropriated and the owned shares were transferred to other persons.

In the second case, Russia was found guilty of violation of the right to ownership. Dumitru Paduret, an entrepreneur from Cocieri, was stopped by representatives of the so-called Customs Service of Transnistria in August 2010, while he was transporting goods to a farmers’ market in Dubasari. His vehicle and freight were confiscated and he had to pay over €1,000 to recover these.

“There was no violation on the part of the Republic of Moldova. The Court ascertained that both the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation have jurisdictions over this territory, but Russia was to blame for the committed violations owing to its military presence, political support provided to the Transnistrian regime and owing to the money that this pays for salaries, pensions and any other benefit,” stated  Postica.

According to him, in the first case Russia was obliged to pay almost €143,000 damages, while in the second case over €6,000 damages. Both of the plaintiffs were represented at the ECHR by jurists and lawyers of “Promo-LEX”. The association’s data show 51 cases concerning the violation of human rights in Transnistria are pending at the ECHR.