The Council of Europe, in partnership with the United Nations, has intensified efforts to prompt Russia to fulfill its legal obligations by implementing judgments from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), including those involving Georgia. 

Despite Russia's exclusion from CoE in March 2022, after invading Ukraine, it remains a member of the UN, subject to ongoing monitoring.In a recent quarterly meeting this week, the Committee of Ministers of the CoE discussed the latest developments on pending Russian cases and explored avenues for the UN to play a role in ensuring compliance with ECHR judgments.

A focus of the discussions was the interstate case Georgia v. Russia, arising from the 2008 armed conflict between Georgia and Russia. In April 2023, the European Court ruled that Russia must pay the Georgia over €129 million within three months. At this week's meeting, the Committee of Ministers expressed “deep concern” as Russia had not made the payment, and the outstanding amount, including interest, has now reached €133.4 million. 

The Committee reiterated its call for the “immediate payment” by Russian authorities and emphasized the need for measures to facilitate the safe return of Georgian nationals to their homes in the currently Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and Abkhazia regions. 

Addressing high-profile cases involving the deaths of individuals critical of Russian authorities, such as Sergei Magnitsky, Anna Politkovskaya, Natalia Estemirova, and Alexander Litvinenko, the Committee emphasized Russia's unconditional obligation to pay court-awarded 'just satisfaction' and implement judgments fully. 

Furthermore, the Committee of Ministers made a decision on a group of nine cases related to Aleksey Navalnyy and strongly condemned Navalnyy's continued imprisonment, urged the repeal of laws hindering the execution of ECHR judgments, and called for his immediate release, emphasizing the importance of access to independent medical care and unimpeded legal visits.

In its decision on cases related to discrimination based on sexual orientation in the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and the refusal to register LGBTI associations, the Committee deeply deplored the reported deterioration of LGBTI rights in Russia. It reiterated the authorities' obligation to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation and stressed the need for legislative changes.Following the meeting, Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, wrote to the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, once again urging compliance with international law obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and the full adherence to judgments from the European Court.