- The decision about the future of the renowned human rights organization Memorial has been made: the Supreme Court decides to dissolve it.
- According to the Interfax agency, the judges upheld a request from the General Prosecutor’s Office for violating Russian law.
- Memorial denies the allegations. The organization laments political persecution and wants to refer the judgment to the European Court of Human Rights.
The company founded in the late 1980s spoke of a “political decision” without a legal basis. The aim is to «destroy an organization dealing with the history of political repression and the protection of human rights».
Human rights activists complain about increasing authoritarian tendencies and the persecution of dissenters in Russia. Jan Ratschinski from the Memorial management announced that he would proceed against the judgment before the European Court of Human Rights.
Reason: Violation of controversial law
The representative of the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office, Alexei Jafjarov, said in court that Memorial’s work portrayed the Soviet Union, which was dissolved 30 years ago, as a “terrorist state” and spread lies about the country. The Russian judiciary also accused Memorial of repeated violations of the law on foreign agents.
The organization has been fined several times for failing to identify itself as a foreign agent. The law provides that recipients of payments from abroad can be referred to as “agents”. Many journalists are also affected.
The set of rules has been criticized internationally as a political instrument for arbitrary decisions against those who think differently. It is also lamented that those who stand up for human rights are stigmatized as spies. Memorial has long called for the law to be repealed. To the annoyance of the Russian leadership, the organization also campaigns for political prisoners.
Support from home and abroad
Many members of the opposition, including supporters of the imprisoned Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, have been classified as extremists by the Russian judiciary. By keeping a list of political prisoners, Memorial faces the charge of justifying “involvement in terrorist and extremist organizations”. That is wrong – people who are persecuted for political reasons are recorded, said memorial lawyer Tatiana Gluschkowa.
Numerous celebrities at home and abroad have sided with Memorial. You consider the allegations to be politically motivated.