- Title: Dutch government to file suit against Russia over downing of MH17
- Date: 10th July 2020
- Summary: HRABOVE, UKRAINE (FILE - JULY 17, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PLANE WRECKAGE SMOULDERING VARIOUS OF PLANE DEBRIS ON FIRE/SMOKE RISING HRABOVE, UKRAINE (FILE - JULY 19, 2014) (REUTERS) UKRAINIAN EMERGENCIES SERVICE WORKERS SEARCHING FIELD UKRAINIAN EMERGENCIES SERVICE WORKER CARRYING BLACK BOX VARIOUS OF UKRAINIAN EMERGENCIES SERVICE WORKERS CARRYING STRETCHERS THROUGH FIELD EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS (FILE - JULY 23, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FLAGS FLYING AT HALF MAST VARIOUS OF COFFINS BEING REMOVED FROM AIRCRAFT VARIOUS OF COFFINS BEING LOADED INTO HEARSES HIGHWAY BETWEEN EINDHOVEN AND HILVERSUM, NETHERLANDS (FILE - JULY 23, 2014) (REUTERS) CONVOY CARRYING COFFINS DRIVING PAST
- Embargoed: 24th July 2020 16:13
- Keywords: European Court of Human Rights MH17 Netherlands Russia Stef Blok
- Location: HRABOVE, UKRAINE / EINDHOVEN, GILZE EN RIJEN, THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS / STRASBOURG, FRANCE
- City: HRABOVE, UKRAINE / EINDHOVEN, GILZE EN RIJEN, THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS / STRASBOURG, FRANCE
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Air Accidents,Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA002CM89E87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Dutch government on Friday (July 10) said it would file a suit against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights over the downing of Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine six years ago.
The Netherlands, home to roughly two-thirds of the 298 victims, holds Russia responsible for the crash on July 17, 2014. The Kremlin has consistently denied involvement in the matter.
"The submission is a new step in our efforts to establish truth, justice and accountability", Dutch Foreign minister Stef Blok said in a letter to parliament.
Blok said his government would give the court all its information on MH17, thereby supporting the individual applications already submitted by the victims' next of kin.
MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a missile fired from territory held by pro-Moscow rebels during fighting in eastern Ukraine, killing everyone on board.
After years of collecting evidence, a Dutch-led international Joint Investigation team (JIT) last year said the missile launcher used to hit the jet came from a Russian army base just across the border.
The JIT subsequently issued arrest warrants for four suspects, who were put on trial in the Netherlands in absentia earlier this year.
The four suspects, three Russian men and one Ukrainian, are said to have arranged the missile system. They remain at large and are believed to be in Russia.
Despite the new court case, the Dutch government said it wanted to continue the talks with Russia on MH17 that it started together with Australia over a year ago.
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