Putin accuses ECHR, including in Ilascu case
Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses the European Court for Human Righst that many of the decisions adopted against Russia, including the one related to Ilascu case, are politically motivated. Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday in the same context that the Russian Duma will not ratify the 14th protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights, aiming at accelerating the settlement of the judicial disputes, Russian news agencies report.
“The fact that Strasbourg seeks to adopt a new and easier procedure could jeopardise the quality of the judicial process”. In this way Putin explained the refuse of the Duma to ratify the protocol in December 2006. Also, the refuse is based on the fact that the protocol violates the basic principles of the Convention, the human rights and might lead to discrimination as regards Russia.
The 14th protocol introduces the casuistry law and includes investigations performed by a single judge, Putin objected, specifying that the majority of Court’s decisions in the case when Russia is involved are politically motivated.
Putin has offered an example in this respect, that of Ilascu case. According to Putin, Moscow “was accused of something it did not participate in”. The accusation turned into a “clearly political decision that sapped the trust in the international justice system”.
The ECHR condemned the Russian Federation in July 2004 in Ilascu case because it contributed both military and politically to the creation of the separatist regime in the Transnistrian region, that is part of Moldova’s territory. The Russian Federation was found guilty of the inhuman treatment applied to the four political prisoners, and the responsibility of Moldova lays in the fact that it did not undertake actions through its diplomatic offices and international organisations to settle the case of “Ilascu group”. The petition filed by Ilascu against Moldova and the Russian Federation was judged more than four years.
From June 2 to 4, 1992, Ilie Ilascu, Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Lesci, Tudor Petrov Popa, Petru Godiac and Valeriu Garbuz were held under home arrest in Tiraspol by persons with the uniforms of the formers USSR’s 14th army. They were accused by the Transnistrian authorities of war crimes and terrorist actions. On September 9, 1993 a court from Tiraspol condemned Ilie Ialscu and sentenced him to capital punishment, and the rest of the group was condemned to serve terms from 2 to 15 years in jail.
One of the members of “Ilascu group”, Valeriu Garbuz was set free several months later, after he “recognised” the accusations brought by the Transnistrian authorities. Shortly after he was released, Garbuz said that he was maltreated by the officers of Transnistria’s Security Ministry. Garbuz is the only one that recognised the accusations brought to “Ilascu group”.
Petru Godiac was freed on June 12, 1994, when his conviction term expired. After he treated himself for a long period, he settled down in Romania.
Ilie Ilascu was released in May 2001, subsequently received Romanian citizenship and became senator on behalf of the Greater Romania Party.
Alexandru Lesco was set free in June 2004. He was also offered Romanian citizenship 12 years after he had been imprisoned.
Tudor Petrov Popa and Andrei Ivantoc are still imprisoned in Transnistria.