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.
