PARIS, July 16 (RIA Novosti) - The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ordered Russia to pay 50,000 euros ($70,200) in compensation to the relatives of a Chechen who was abducted in 2003.
Relatives of Arbi Karimov, abducted near Grozny in 2003, appealed to Russian law enforcement many times before filing a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights accusing Russia of failing to carry out an effective investigation to find the culprits.
Some 20 armed people abducted Karimov from his house in a village that was under the full control of Russian federal forces. They took a number of personal items and documents. Karimov's fate has never been determined.
"Despite specific requests by the court, the government did not disclose any documents of the case referring to the incompatibility of such a measure with domestic legislation given that the investigation was in progress," the court said in its press release.
The court said it considered that Karimov had been abducted "by state servicemen during an unacknowledged security operation."
Russia was ordered to compensate Karimov's relatives 35,000 euros (about $50,000) in moral damages, 10,000 euros (about $14,000) for material damages and 5,500 euros ($7,740) to cover court expenses.
The ruling can be appealed against through the court's Grand Chamber up to three months after it was issued.
Russia has lost the majority of cases brought against it in the Strasbourg-based court. In 2008, the court ruled against Russia 245 times. Overall, around 20% of all complaints made to the court in the past decade have involved Russia.
Chechnya saw two brutal separatist wars in the 1990s and early 2000s. Security has improved in the North Caucasus republic, although violence involving militants remains a frequent occurrence.
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