Human rights defenders: laws arbitrary interpreted during trial against “Memorial”*

At the trial in a case on the liquidation of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*, the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office complained not about the absence, but about the dimensions and location of the labelling on the status of a foreign agent on the NGO’s website. Besides, prosecutors also used as an argument the court’s decision on a fine of 500,000 roubles which had not entered into force, lawyers and human rights defenders note.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that today, the third preliminary court hearing was held on the claim filed by the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office on the liquidation of the HRC “Memorial”*. Several dozen people gathered in front of the court building during the hearing. They explained their decision to support the HRC “Memorial”* by the importance of the NGO’s activities.

The court attached to the case the decisions on administrative cases that did not come into force, says Alexander Cherkasov, the chairman of the Council of the HRC “Memorial”*. According to him, the Prosecutor’s Office voiced claims about the dimensions of the labelling on the status of a foreign agent.

The Prosecutor’s Office arbitrarily interprets the laws in order to liquidate the HRC “Memorial”*, the human rights defender believes.

Human rights defender Oyub Titiev is among those who have come to the building of the Moscow City Court today. He arrived at the courthouse with other human rights defender, including Tatiana Lokshina, associate director for Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia Division, Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the “Civic Assistance Committee”**, and Oleg Orlov, a member of the Council of the HRC “Memorial”*.

According to Oyub Titiev, the outcome of the trial completely depends on the country’s top leaders.

The authorities are unlikely to consider as important the action in support of the HRC “Memorial”*, since the authorities do not feel the desires and will of the people, Svetlana Gannushkina notes.

*The organization has been put on the register of foreign agents by the Russian Ministry of Justice.

** The organization is included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the register of NPOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.