ECHR rules on Karabakh-related cases against Armenia, Azerbaijan

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights consisting of 17 judges ruled on two cases related to Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

In particular, in Tuesday, December 12's Grand Chamber judgment in the case of Sargsyan v. Azerbaijan, the ECHR ruled on the question of just satisfaction. It held, unanimously, that the Azerbaijani government has to pay the applicant €5,000 in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and €30,000 in costs and expenses.

The case concerned an Armenian refugee’s complaint that, after having been forced to flee from his home in the Shahumyan region of Azerbaijan in 1992 during the conflict over Karabakh, he had since been denied the right to return to his village and to have access to and use his property there.

Also, in the case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia, the court ruled that the Armenian government has to pay 5,000 euros in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage to each of the applicants and a total amount of £28,642 for costs and expenses.

The case concerned the complaints by six Azerbaijani refugees that they were unable to return to their homes and property in the district of Lachin, in Azerbaijan, from where they had been forced to flee in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In conclusion, the court underlined the responsibility of Armenia and Azerbaijan concerned to find a resolution to the Karabakh conflict.