Moscow To Bolster 'Russia's Interests' In Strasbourg

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (epa)

September 28, 2007 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that will allow the country's Justice Ministry to send as many as five people to work with Russia's permanent delegation to the Council of Europe and assist Russia's representative to the European Court of Human Rights.

The decree, posted on the official Kremlin website, says the measure is meant to "enhance the protection of Russia's interests" at the Strasbourg court.

Some 12,000 complaints from Russia were brought to the court in 2006, amounting to one-fifth of all the cases sent to Strasbourg that year.

Many are filed by residents of Chechnya seeking redress for atrocities by federal forces in the North Caucasus.

(Interfax)