Press release reply Russia concerning complaint regarding MH17 at EHRC

Russia filed reply with European Human Rights Court to complaint of surviving relatives of victims of MH17 crash.

In November 2018 Beer advocaten filed a complaint against Russia with the European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg on behalf of a large group of surviving relatives of the passengers who died in the MH17 crash.

This week we received the written reply filed by Russia with the EHRC. This defence is in English, ninety pages long and is accompanied by over a hundred documents.

In its defence Russia focuses on formalities mostly, for instance whether the EHRC is authorised to take the complaint under consideration. The EHRC has given us the opportunity to respond. The ECHR cannot consider the complaint until it has rejected Russia’s formal defences.

In summary: Russia holds the view that (i) there is no proof that Russia was involved in the crash of flight MH17, (ii) Russia was not responsible for the investigation into the crash and (iii) for these reasons the ECHR cannot take our complaint against Russia under consideration. The defence is made up largely of accusations against government-affiliated investigators, such as the Dutch Safety Board and the JIT (Joint Investigation Team). Russia claims that the investigators based their findings on incorrect data forged by unknown parties. Private investigators (like Bellingcat) are the subject of similar accusations. In Russia’s opinion the findings of all these investigations are unreliable. 

If you have any questions about this press release please contact Christa Wijnakker by e-mail: wijnakker@beeradvocaten.nl  or by e-mail: Luchtvaartteam1@beeradvocaten.nl.