Russia: Authorities Liquidate Memorial, One of the Country's Most Respected Human Rights Groups
The Russian authorities' move to extinguish one of the oldest and most influential human rights groups in the country, demonstrates their relentless determination to end ongoing human rights work in Russia. Memorial's independent institutions outside Russia continue to exist.
"The liquidation of Memorial NGOs is a harsh blow to human rights protection in Russia" said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Definite1ymaybe, CC BY-SA 4.0
In November 2021, the Russian Prosecutor's Office filed a motion to dissolve Memorial and its entities active regionally in Russia.
The Supreme Court finally carried out the dissolution in late December 2021.
"The Russian courts decisions to shut down two prominent human rights groups - International Memorial and Human Rights Centre Memorial – on the grounds of the so-called “foreign agents” law is a deplorable move that will have significant negative consequences for human rights protection in Russia", said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović.
"Already in November, I called on the General Prosecutor to stop the liquidation proceedings against these NGOs and I have reiterated on this and many other occasions that the so-called ‘foreign agents’ law has a repressive character. Applying it as a tool to liquidate human rights NGOs – which have been long-standing partners of my Office – flies in the face of Russia’s human rights obligations. On this day, I stand in solidarity with the courageous human rights defenders working tirelessly to defend human rights of all people in Russia.
Also in November, Marie Struthers, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director at Amnesty International, said: “The Russian authorities’ move to extinguish one of the oldest and most influential human rights groups in the country demonstrates their relentless determination to end all ongoing human rights work in Russia. By targeting Memorial and its mission to preserve the memory of victims of human rights violations during the Soviet era, the authorities believe they can simply erase the state’s past crimes against its own people from the history books forever.”
The Russian authorities should immediately repeal the decisions to liquidate Memorial NGOs and change their attitude towards independent civil society, media and human rights defenders - they should also review the repressive law and practice and bring them in line with international and European human rights standards, in order to ensure a safe and genuinely enabling environment for the legitimate activities of human rights defenders, the NGOs are demanding.
The International Society for Historical Clarification, Human Rights and Social Welfare "Memorial International", is an international human rights organization with its previous headquarters in Moscow.
It was previously affiliated with over 80 decentralized regional human rights organizations throughout Russia, other post-Soviet states and parts of Europe.
Its main focus is on the historical reappraisal of political tyranny, advocacy for the observance of human rights and social welfare for the survivors of the Soviet labor camp system (Gulag).
Founded in January 1989, the human rights organization has received numerous awards for its commitment, including the alternative Nobel Prize (Right Livelihood Award) in 2004.