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Kiev failed both to prevent the tragedy and properly investigate it, the court has ruled
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the Ukrainian authorities were responsible for the deaths of 42 anti-coup activists in the city of Odessa in 2014. They lost their lives when Ukrainian nationalists, who supported the armed takeover in Kiev weeks earlier, torched the port city’s Trade Unions House where the protesters had gathered.
“The Court concluded that the relevant authorities had not done everything they reasonably could to prevent the violence, to stop that violence after its outbreak, and to ensure timely rescue measures for those trapped in the fire in the Trade Union Building,” the ECHR said in its decision published on Thursday.
More than a decade later, Kiev has not named or prosecuted any of the perpetrators. Instead, it pinned the blame on Moscow, claiming that the events in Odessa were “a pre-planned and well-financed operation” by the Russian security services. Moscow has repeatedly called for an investigation, even a special tribunal on the massacre.
Relatives of 25 victims, as well as three people who had survived the fire, filed complaints against Kiev with the ECHR. The court found the Ukrainian police “had ignored the available intelligence and the relevant warning signs” and failed to make any “meaningful attempt to prevent the clashes” that led to the fire. The ECHR believes that “propaganda from Russia had had its part” in stirring up tensions, but said that does not absolve Kiev of responsibility for the massacre.
The nation’s law enforcement did not make “any real attempt” to prevent the violence or to stop it, or to save those trapped in the burning building. “The deployment of fire engines to the site of the fire had been deliberately delayed for 40 minutes, and the police had not stepped in to help evacuate people,” the decision said, adding that “negligence” of Ukrainian officials “went beyond an error of judgement and carelessness.”
The authorities also did not make “enough effort” to properly secure, collect, and assess all the evidence, according to the court. It noted that a criminal investigation against a pro-Western activist suspected of shooting at anti-Maidan protesters was discontinued four times for “identical” reasons.
The ECHR has ordered Kiev to pay all the applicants varying amounts of compensation and cover their legal costs. According to the Ukrainian media, the claimants are to receive between €12,000 and €17,000 each ($13,028 to $18,456). Ukraine has not commented on the ruling so far.
