European tribunal to reopen Katyn cases?

The ruling is being hailed as a breakthrough by families of the victims.

Six separate complaints have been filed in Strasbourg since 2007, lodged by both individuals and groups. Key allegations are that the official Russian investigation, which was broken off in 2004, was ineffective, and that the families of the victims have been treated in a degrading fashion.

Although the official Association of Katyn Families passed a resolution in 2008 stating that material compensation will not be sought – a stance that was reaffirmed in 2010 – families are still pressing for closure on several issues, including the full rehabilitation of the executed men.

The latter process, normally applied to those unjustly sentenced in court, would clear the slain of any stain on their honour under Russian law.

Russian authorities have stalled the matter of rehabilitation, amidst claims of complications owing to the fact that technically, the 22,500 Polish citizens – largely reserve officers, were executed without trial.

“I am happy that the decision turned out this way,” said Ireneusz Kaminski, the lawyer who has been representing the Poles at Strasbourg over the last few years.

Rulings on all of the complaints made by Polish citizens should now be forthcoming.
“It means that now we only have to be patient until the verdict is reached,” Kaminski added.

In the lawyer’s opinion, it is “extremely rare” that the Strasbourg court takes a case this far without then ruling in favour of those that had lodged the complaints.

In February this year, Russian ambassador in Warsaw Aleksander Alekseyev declared that Moscow would rehabilitate the Katyn victims.

However, a spokesman for the Katyn families said that “our experience makes us sceptical and cautious with respect to such information.” (nh/jb)

Source: PAP