One of the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize this Friday (7), the human rights group Memorial International had its dissolution ordered by the Russian Supreme Court at the end of last year.
The decision came in a year of intense repression of opposition in the country – although formally independent, the Russian judiciary is aligned with President Vladimir Putin.
The group is one of the most respected in the country and known for its work in exposing abuses committed in the Stalinist era.
Russian prosecutors had called for the Memorial to be dissolved in early November, accusing the group of having “systematically infringed” the obligations of its “foreign agent” status. Moscow also argues that it is enforcing laws to stop extremism and protect the country from outside influences.
At the time, international human rights groups condemned the decision. John Sullivan, US ambassador to Russia, called the case “a tragic attempt to suppress free speech and erase history”. State Department spokesman Ned Price echoed the criticism, calling for “an end to attacks on independent voices and human rights defenders.”
A German foreign ministry official also called the ruling “incomprehensible” and said it raised serious concerns.
With more than three decades of activity, Memorial International is the oldest human rights group in the country. It was founded by Soviet dissidents — including Nobel Peace Prize winner and nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov — who dedicated themselves to preserving the memory of the millions of Russians who died or were persecuted in labor camps during the Josef Stalin era.
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