ECHR rules Georgia must pay €25,000 to woman whose son, sister were killed in 2003

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Georgia must pay 25,000 euros to Tbilisi resident Mariam Sakvarelidze, 71, whose son and sister died in 2003, during Rose Revolution protests in Georgia when an armoured military vehicle hit their car in the capital city on November 22, 2003, a day before the culmination of the 20-day protests. 

Sakvarelidze herself and her nephews received injuries in the incident. 

Sakvarelidze claimed that the  armoured military vehicle was driven by either a law-enforcement or military officer and was demanding 500,000 euros (EUR) for non‑pecuniary damages, which the Georgian government contested the claim as excessive.

The court  concludes that the investigation of the fatal road traffic accident of 22 November 2003 was not effective. There has accordingly been a violation of Article 2 [right to life]  of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms  under its procedural limb,” ECHR says, awarding the applicant EUR 25,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage.

See the judgement here.