With Little Faith in Russian Courts, Cases Head to Strasbourg

Over on our German blog we’ve got an interesting article posted from Der Spiegel titled “Lighthouse of Hope” which addresses the deplorable state of the Russian legal system and interviews several parties bringing claims before European courts. Below is a summary: According to newest polls, two thirds of Russians mistrust the domestic courts and characterize them as corrupt. Because of this, a growing number of Russians are taking legal action at the European Court of Justice. Most of the claims pertain to the absence of execution of civil judgments in aid of retirees and invalids. Moscow assesses international institutions like the European Court of Justice or the OSCE as “instruments of a hostile environment.”