On Wednesday, July 9, Ukrainian judge of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Mykola Gnatovsky, commenting on the decision in the case of Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, noted that the European Court had its say in perhaps “the most large-scale and important case in its entire history.”
The scale of the case between Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia is impressive
He stressed that the text of the decision in the case of Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia consists of approximately 500 pages of main text, excluding appendices.
“In none of the previous conflicts considered by the Court was there such unanimous condemnation by the international community of the blatant disregard by the respondent State for the foundations of the international legal order established after the Second World War,” the judge added.
According to the ECHR, Russia's actions in Ukraine are unprecedented in the entire history of the Council of Europe.
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As the judge noted, the ECHR ruled that the nature and scale of the violence, coupled with the ominous statements by the leadership of the respondent state regarding Ukrainian statehood, independence and the very right to exist, threatened peaceful coexistence in Europe.
The Russian Federation is undermining the foundations of democracy, on whose principles both the Council of Europe and its member states stand.
Gnatovsky recalled that, in the opinion of the court, its task is limited to assessing the compliance of the actions of the defendant state with the fundamental guarantees enshrined in the Convention and its Protocols.
However, they shall be interpreted in particular in the light of their purpose, which is the realisation of the aims and ideals of the Council of Europe by promoting peace based on justice and international co-operation.
