In a case against the Russian Federation, the Russian Court of first instance has ruled in favor of 2002 Nord-Ost siege hostage victim’s family represented by Specht Böhm Rechtsanwalt GmbH. Family of the victim will receive compensation for the loss of the head of household and moral damages in the amount of more than 100,000 Euros as well as monthly payments of 2,600 Euros.

Forty Chechen militants, including 19 female suicide bombers with bombs strapped to their waists, took over 850 people hostage at the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow in October 2002. The incident became known as the Nord-Ost siege. Before storming the building, Russian forces pumped toxic gases into the ventilation system of the theater to subdue the hostage-takers. The gas, however, also caused the deaths of many of the hostages with a total of 130 dying from the rescue attempt. Survivors of the siege and relatives of the victims have long contended that Russian authorities were culpable for the deaths of hostages since they had mounted a lethal attack without providing for the rescue and treatment of the hostages. In 2011 the European Court on Human Rights (ECHR) handled the case and ruled in favor of the former hostages, determining that the Russian Federation had violated Article 2 of the European Convention (right to life) and ordering Russian authorities to conduct investigations into the matter. In the past, Russian courts had not been consistent in regards to rulings in favor of the hostage victims and their families. Specht Böhm Rechtsanwalt GmbH is very pleased to have been able to secure a victory for the family of a Nord-Ost hostage siege victim.