Families of German MH17 victims to sue Ukraine

BERLIN: Family members of German MH17 victims plan to sue Ukraine and its president for manslaughter by negligence, the lawyer representing them said today.
Professor of aviation law Elmar Giemulla, who is representing three families of German victims, said that under international law, Ukraine should have closed its air space if it could not guarantee the safety of flights.
"Each state is responsible for the security of its air space," Giemulla said in a statement.
"If it is not able to do so, it must close its air space. As that did not happen, Ukraine is liable."
Bild am Sonntag newspaper quoted Giemulla as saying that by not closing its airspace, Ukraine had accepted that the lives of hundreds of innocent people would be "annihilated" and this was a violation of human rights.
The jetliner crashed in Ukraine in pro-Russian rebel-held territory on July 17, killing all 298 people on board, including four Germans.
Ukraine and western countries have accused the rebels of shooting the plane down with a Russian-made missile.
Russia has rejected accusations that it supplied the rebels with anti-aircraft missiles.
Giemulla plan to hand his case to the European Court of Human Rights in about two weeks, accusing Ukraine and its president, Petro Poroshenko, of manslaughter by negligence in 298 cases.
He would also push for compensation of up to one million euros (RM4.2 million) per victim, Bild am Sonntag reported. – Reuters