A European human rights court has ordered Italy to pay around $20,000 in damages to former American exchange student Amanda Knox, whom the court says was unjustly convicted of slander.
Knox's case made international headlines when she was charged in the 2007 murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia, Italy. That started a yearslong legal battle in which Knox was convicted twice but ultimately acquitted by Italy's highest court.
Even though she's been cleared of murder, Knox is still battling a three-year sentence for falsely blaming a bar owner for Kercher's death.
According to the European Court of Human Rights' ruling Thursday, Knox's rights were violated following her arrest when Italian authorities failed to initially provide her with an attorney and an interpreter.
The court also ruled there wasn't enough evidence to prove Knox's claims that she experienced "degrading treatment" were true.
Knox, who now lives in Seattle, acknowledged the news on her blog Thursday, writing: "Today, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that my slander conviction was unjust. I am grateful for their wisdom in acknowledging the reality of false confessions, and the need to reform police interrogation methods."
Court regulations indicate Italy has three months to appeal the decision.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
