Vladimir Putin facing lawsuit over MH17 disaster

[echochamberlain]

British lawyers, acting on behalf of bereaved families, have flown to Ukraine to prepare a multi-million dollar class action against Russian President Vladimir Putin over his role in the alleged shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The legal claim, which will be processed through American courts, is likely to also extend to political and military figures close to Putin.

The case, brought forward by lawyers from McCue & Partners of London, which politicians will be unable to prevent going ahead, will add a further strain to relations between Russia and the West by focusing on the role allegedly played by Russia in fomenting dissent and stoking the conflict in the Eastern region of Ukraine. http://sheppardpost.com/vladimir-putin-facing-lawsuit-over-mh17-disaster/

[CJCRANE]

1. Surely that will set a precedent for other lawsuits

and allow lawsuits to reopen that there were thrown out due to sovereign immunity.

[geek tragedy]

2. Precedent: 9/11 lawsuit against Saudi Arabia

http://crooksandliars.com/2013/12/saudi-arabia-restored-defendant-911

[KoKo]

3. Ambulance Chasing propaganda suit....it seems..

Snip from the article:

Because of a lack of clinching intelligence, and the compromised nature of the crash site, the Russians are able, at this point, to maintain plausible deniability; but the civil case could make Putin accountable in the court of public opinion in a way that limited sanctions, or the official inquiry, might not, because the burden of proof in a civil case is lower than in a criminal investigation. This could be embarrassing for Putin, and many in his inner circle, because besides being held to account in the civil courts, with all the concomitant international scorn, the case could potentially be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Even if the suit fails, it will have a moral, conscience-raising element; and such litigation would likely take a year or more to process and resolve – keeping international attention and pressure on the Kremlin after the official inquiry ends, and the crash site has finally been cleared away.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Leave Vladney alone!!11!11!!!!11

The thin-skinned dictator will find this lawsuit endlessly irritating, which is proof of its utility imo.