Will the Strasbourg Court's verdict unravel the mysteries of the 'Nord-Ost' tragedy?

Vladimir Kara-Murza: The Strasbourg court found Russia guilty of Human Rights violations during during the assault of Dubrovka in Moscow. While trying to rescue the 'Nord-Ost' hostages, the Russian authorities violated the right to life — Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

After 8 years of litigation the Strasbourg court ruled that they had to pay 64 plaintiffs compensation from 8 thousand to 66 thousand euros. This was stated in an announcement by the ECHR, which was published on the organization's website.

Our citizens who turned to the court say that the Russian authorities used unreasonable force, did not provide timely medical assistance to the hostages, as well as ineffectively investigating the attack.

We are talking with Karinna Moskalenko about whether the Strasbourg court's verdict will unravel the mysteries of the 'Nord-Ost' tragedy. Moskalenko is the lawyer for the victims of the 'Nord-Ost' attack, while Elena Milashina is a columnist from 'Novaya Gazeta', and Dmitri Milovidov is an activist for the 'Nord-Ost' public organization. What is the meaning and principal value of the Strasbourg court's verdict?

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Strasbourg reaches a decision on ‘Nord-Ost’. On December 20th, the European Court of Human Rights almost fully satisfied claims by victims and relatives of the deceased victims of the terrorist attack on the theatrical center at Dubrovka.

The applicants themselves consider today’s decision by Strasbourg to be a real victory, and had been waiting for several years. Now they hope that an objective investigation into the incident will take place. The victims and relatives of the deceased hostages filed their claims with the European Court back in 2003.

In their petitions, they demanded that those who planned the hostage rescue operation be brought to justice. The security forces at the time released a poisonous gas into the auditorium where the audience and actors of the musical ‘Nord-Ost’ were being held hostage. Information about the gas is still a secret. The plaintiffs believe that the use of this gas killed and injured not only the terrorists, but a large number of hostages as well.

They also state that the government was unable to organize necessary medical assistance to the victims. There were no measures taken to block off traffic so that ambulances could quickly reach the hospitals, and physicians at the hospitals simply had no idea how to treat people poisoned by an unknown gas. In their lawsuits, they also pointed out that there was no effective investigation into the incident.

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Иосиф Кобзон на церемонии памяти жертв теракта на Дубровке, 26 октября 2011

Speaking before the participants were relatives of the victims, as well as singer-parliament member Joseph Kobzon, who nine years ago participated in the rescue of women and children. Then the children's radio and television choir performed, as well as several well-known Russian musicians. After the commemorations, the abbot of the temple under construction near the theatrical center held a memorial service for the victims of the terrorist attack.

The organizers of the commemoration announced that they have put together a book dedicated to the victims of ‘Nord-Ost’. The book includes short stories about each of the one hundred and thirty who were killed during the capture of theater.

Secrets of the ‘Nord-Ost’ tragedy — 9 years later. We are now talking on this subject with Svetlana Gubareva, a former hostage, Alexander Cherkasov, a member of the board of the ‘Memorial’ human rights organization, and Elena Milashina, a columnist for ‘Novaya Gazeta’. Please tell us about this book that you are holding in your hands and that you showed to participants of today's commemoration.

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The book ‘We Will Not Die’ is released in time for the 9th anniversary of the tragedy at Dubrovka

In October 2002, terrorists took hostage nearly 1,000 artists and spectators of the musical ‘Nord-Ost’. 130 could not be saved. Flowers and wreaths were laid by the memorial plaque, while white balloons were released into the sky.

Today in Russia they remember the victims of the tragedy at the theatrical center on Dubrovka. Victims and the loved ones of those who perished gathered by the building in Moscow. 9 years ago, nearly 1000 artists and members of the audience of the musical ‘Nord-Ost’ were held hostage by terrorists. 130 died. A moment of silence was observed in their memory, while flowers and wreaths were laid by a memorial plaque and 130 white balloons were released into the sky. In addition, on the anniversary of the tragedy a book devoted to the victims of the attack was published. Among its authors is a hostage.

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Karinna Moskalenko: “Besides the European Court, we do not have anything else we can count on”

Karinna Moskalenko, the attorney representing the ‘Nord-Ost’ victims at the European Court of Human Rights, talks about the case’s progress in Strasbourg, which has become became her clients’ last hope.

October 24th marks the 9 years from the date of the seizure of hostages in the theater on Dubrovka in Moscow. 912 people had come to see the musical ‘Nord-Ost’, and on October 26th, 2002, during the assault 130 of them were killed, according to official figures. The investigation into the terrorist attack was called off in 2007, but reopened again this year.

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Written by Zviad Mchedlishvili
Friday, October 21st, 2011

‘Nord-Ost’ — an unfinished play for one hundred and thirty people. It has been nine years since the tragedy at Dubrovka. Who had something to gain from the terrorist attack? Was it possible to avoid an assault? Why did the Russian authorities not let the terrorists release hostages? More questions than answers.

Musa Taipov, Anzor Maskhadov, Maxim Shevchenko, and Svetlana Gubareva on ‘Pulse of the Caucasus’ (Russian only)

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