Pamfilova asks Putin to help in withdrawal of lawsuit against "Memorial"

Today, Ella Pamfilova, the Russia's Ombudsperson, has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging to recommend the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to withdraw the lawsuit on liquidation of the Society "Memorial" from the Supreme Court (SC).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Russia's SC appointed for November 13 the consideration of the claim of the MoJ on liquidation of the Society "Memorial". Human rights activists intend to appeal to the Russia's Constitutional Court, because they believe that the MoJ restricts the citizens' right to association.

The reason for the MoJ to go to the SC was in "formal grounds associated with the wording of the Charter of the 'Memorial'," Ella Pamfilova said in her appeal to President of Russia.

"Without challenging the grounds, on which the MoJ had filed its lawsuit, I believe that it would be reasonable to provide the 'Memorial' with a chance to make necessary changes in its Charter in compliance with the legislation at the conference of the society upcoming on November 20-23," the Russia's Ombudsperson wrote in her appeal.

According to Ella Pamfilova, it is unfair "to put one of the oldest Russian public organizations on the brink of liquidation only on formal grounds," since it "has made an enormous contribution to the development of the Russian civil society."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.