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European Court of Human Rights Finds Russia Liable for MH17 Shootdown and Widespread Abuses

The ruling exposes the limits of international justice when a state refuses to recognise a court’s authority.

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Blumen auf einem Triebwerk des abgestürzten Malaysia-Airlines-Flugzeugs (Archiv)

Overview

  • On July 9, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia was responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile fired over eastern Ukraine.
  • The court cited evidence that the missile system belonged to a Russian air defence unit that deployed the launcher into Ukrainian territory before returning it to Russia after the strike.
  • Judges also held Russia accountable for a pattern of human rights violations in Ukraine since 2014, including executions of civilians and prisoners, torture, and forced deportations.
  • The ruling emphasised Moscow’s obstruction of crash-site investigations, which delayed the recovery of victims’ remains by eight months and exacerbated suffering for the families of the 298 passengers.
  • Since Russia has left the Council of Europe and refuses to recognise the ECHR’s jurisdiction, the judgement remains largely symbolic and its reparations orders face significant enforcement challenges.