PARIS, April 16 (RIA Novosti) - The European Court of
Human Rights held its first hearing on Thursday on a case
lodged by Georgia against Russia two years ago over alleged
human rights violations.
The Georgian government filed the suit on March 26, 2007,
saying that after Georgia's arrests of five Russian soldiers on
September 27, 2006, Moscow violated the rights of Georgians
living in Russia.
The Kremlin responded to the arrests by imposing an air,
sea and postal blockade on Georgia.
In October, Russia expelled over a hundred Georgians
accused of "immigration offenses" following a crackdown on
allegedly illegal businesses owned by Georgians.
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