MH17: Human rights court will hear Netherland's case against Russia - BBC

The European Court of Human Rights has confirmed it volition perceive a Dutch lawsuit against Russia implicit the downing of formation MH17 successful 2014.

All 298 radical connected the Malaysia Airlines formation from Amsterdam were killed erstwhile it was changeable down by a rocket fired by Moscow-backed Ukrainian separatists.

The Dutch authorities argues that Russia's disinformation astir Moscow's relation successful the incidental is simply a usurpation of the relatives' quality rights.

Russia denies the allegations.

The Boeing 777 was flying from the Dutch superior to Kuala Lumpur erstwhile it was deed by a Russian-made surface-to-air rocket successful July 2014 during a struggle betwixt pro-Russia rebels and Ukrainian forces successful the Donbas portion of Ukraine.

The Netherlands argues that Russia played a cardinal relation successful the aerial catastrophe and the lawsuit hinges connected whether oregon not Moscow had "effective control" implicit the country of Ukraine wherever the rocket was fired from.

At this stage, the ECHR's determination is lone procedural and does not regularisation connected the merits of the case, but it shows the tribunal believes Russia tin beryllium held accountable for the quality rights violations successful the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

It could beryllium years earlier a ruling is issued, but if the ECHR issues a blameworthy verdict against Russia, Moscow could beryllium obliged to wage damages to the victims' relatives.

Last September, Russia stopped being enactment to the European Convention connected Human Rights, but the tribunal tin inactive woody with claims against Russia regarding actions up until that date.

In November, a Dutch tribunal astatine the Schiphol Judicial Complex recovered 3 men - 2 Russians and a Ukrainian - blameworthy of execution successful absentia for their portion successful the downing of MH17.

The tribunal concluded that the rocket had been fired deliberately to bring down a plane, adjacent if the people had been subject alternatively than civilian.

The 3 men were sentenced to beingness successful jailhouse but are each thought to beryllium successful Russia.

Since Moscow condemned the verdict arsenic scandalous and politically motivated it is highly improbable that they volition beryllium handed implicit to look justice.

Russia has repeatedly denied engagement successful the attack.