MOSCOW, August 3 (RIA Novosti) - More than 2,500 lawsuits have been filed in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and the UN International Criminal Court in The Hague by residents of the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia.
South Ossetian Foreign Minister Murat Dzhioyev told RIA Novosti on Monday that the lawsuits were filed in respect to Georgian aggression in the republic last August when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.
"After the Georgian attacks on the republic of South Ossetia, more than 2,500 residents, who lost family, friends and property, have filed lawsuits in international courts against the Georgian government," Dzhioyev said.
Moscow recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another former Georgian republic, Abkhazia, after Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war last August. Most residents of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia have held Russian citizenship for several years.
Dzhioyev said South Ossetia was still waiting for judges to confirm the fact of Georgian military aggression against South Ossetia and believes "the individuals guilty of the crimes, who are against peace and humanity, will receive proper punishment."
South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity on Friday demanded Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili be tried as a war criminal for giving the order to attack Tskhinvali.
Kokoity said South Ossetia had started a criminal case against Saakashvili and others who had "organized aggression" against the republic's citizens, adding that this is considered an international crime and should be punished.
