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   The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russia is responsible for   
   the downing of flight MH17 and has thus violated human rights. Among other   
   things, the right to life, enshrined in the European Convention on Human   
   Rights, has been violated, according to the Court.   
       
   This is the first time an international court has ruled on Russia's role in   
   the downing of the passenger plane in 2014, which killed 298 people, including   
   196 Dutch nationals. The Court considers the suffering of the bereaved   
   families after the crash and the loss of their loved ones to also constitute   
   human rights violations.   
       
   The Netherlands appealed to the international court to establish Russian   
   responsibility for shooting down the plane. The fact that it is not known   
   exactly who fired the missile does not prevent the Court from holding the   
   Russians accountable. It is established that a Russian soldier or a   
   pro-Russian separatist fired the missile. According to the Court, Russia   
   failed to take action to prevent human suffering as a result of the missile   
   launch.   
       
   Furthermore, the Court criticizes the Russians' failure to cooperate with the   
   investigation into the circumstances. The Netherlands requested information   
   several times, but did not receive it. Russia still denies involvement in the   
   downing of the passenger plane.   
       
   The Court merged the MH17 case with several complaints from Ukraine concerning   
   human rights violations during the annexation of Crimea, in the east of the   
   country, and during the invasion three years ago.   
       
   Russia was a party to the human rights convention until September 2022, but   
   withdrew. The country can still be held responsible for actions that occurred   
   before then. However, the Human Rights Court, which monitors the convention on   
   behalf of the Council of Europe, cannot compel a convicted state to comply   
   with its judgments. It must rely on its moral authority.   
       
   The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which falls   
   under the United Nations, previously ruled that Russia is guilty of the MH17   
   crash. That ruling was rejected by the Kremlin. The three men sentenced to   
   life imprisonment by the court in The Hague for their involvement have also   
   not been extradited by Russia.   
       
   The ECtHR and the Council of Europe are separate from the EU. The Council, of   
   which almost all European countries are members, has protected human rights   
   since World War II.   
      
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