20.06 Russia’s Medvedev Bashes ECHR over �?Quasipolitical’ Rulings

ST. PETERSBURG, June 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Mededev has lambasted the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for often taking political decisions.

“For instance, the European Court of Human Rights is a special sort of court and, of course, frankly speaking not all of its decisions are judicial in their nature. Some of its rulings are, unfortunately, quasipolitical in their essence,” Medvedev told law students attending the International Legal Forum in St. Petersburg.

Medvedev, a qualified lawyer, stressed it was his personal opinion, but added that the effect of politically-motivated court rulings on international law was totally destructive.

Earlier, Kiev filed two lawsuits against Russia with the ECHR in Strasbourg over Crimea's secession and Russia’s alleged liability to Ukraine. The announcement to this effect was published in June on the Ukrainian government’s official website.