Widow of Cameraman Killed in Georgia War Finds Little Solace in Symbolic Russian Compensation
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The widow of Dutch cameraman Stan Storimans, killed during the 2008 Russian-Georgian war, has expressed her dissatisfaction with a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordering Russia to pay 10,000 euros in compensation. The ruling, while acknowledging Russia’s failure to adequately investigate the attack, is seen as largely symbolic by the family, who yearn for accountability and the identification of those responsible for Storimans’ death.
A Journalist Caught in the Crossfire
Storimans, working for RTL, was reporting from the Georgian city of Gori in August 2008 when he was struck by a cluster bomb. The attack also claimed the lives of eleven Georgian civilians. The incident occurred amidst intense fighting between Russian and Georgian forces, a conflict that drew international condemnation.
ECHR Ruling: A Partial Victory, But Not Enough
On Tuesday, the ECHR ruled that Russia violated the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack. While the court awarded 10,000 euros in non-material damages to Storimans’ widow, Marjolein Storimans, and fellow journalist Jeroen Akkermans – who survived the attack – the ruling stopped short of assigning direct blame.
“They won’t pay a dime, they will never plead guilty,” a source close to the family stated, reflecting a deep skepticism that Russia will ever comply with the financial penalty. The court also determined there was “no causal link” between the treaty violation and any loss of income resulting from Storimans’ death, rejecting a separate claim for financial compensation.
The Pursuit of Justice After 17 Years
The lack of a definitive investigation and the absence of identified perpetrators remain a source of profound grief for Storimans’ widow. “It is absolutely not about the money. I would have preferred to be told: they are the perpetrators,” she told Omroep Brabant. “But Russia has not conducted a thorough counter investigation.”
She drew a stark comparison to investigations within the Netherlands, stating, “If someone is murdered here in the Netherlands, detectives, so to speak, do not go to sleep until the perpetrator has been arrested. You want some kind of reparation. I think that only then will we all get some rest.”
A Declaration and Diminishing Hope
In a continued effort to seek justice, Marjolein Storimans and Jeroen Akkermans filed a declaration last year against six Russian soldiers, alleging their responsibility for the rocket attack. This report has been submitted to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, but the possibility of further legal action remains uncertain.
“You can never completely close it off. I do think that will give us peace. But that hope is becoming smaller and smaller, of course,” she conceded, acknowledging the long and arduous path toward closure. The family continues to seek answers, hoping to finally identify those responsible for the tragic loss of Stan Storimans’ life.
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