Vladimir Putin, speaking to civil-society activists in Moscow today (epa)
January 11, 2007 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today accused the European Court of Human Rights of handing down "political" rulings.
In several recent cases, the court ruled that Russian forces were responsible for civilian deaths in Chechnya.
Putin's comments came as Rene van der Linden, the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, is in Moscow to press Russia to ratify a document that would allow the European Court to consider more cases.
Russia is the only Council of Europe member not to have ratified the document.
(Reuters)
RFE/RL Russia Report
RFE/RL Russia Report