“Memorial”* complains to ECtHR about searches in its offices

Law enforcers did not mention the reason for the searches at the offices of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”* and did not let advocates in, the HRC reported. The lawyers from the HRC “Memorial” requested the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to oblige the Russian authorities to stop the searches.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that today, the HRC “Memorial”* has announced that searches are taking place in the offices of the human rights organizations “Memorial”* and the “Civil Assistance”* in Moscow.

The searches are taking place in two offices of the “Memorial”* located at Karetny Ryad Street, 5/10 and Maly Karetny Lane, 12, the HRC reports in its Telegram channel “Polny PTs”. “There is no contact with the employees who stay in the buildings. The bus on which OMON (riot police) fighters arrived is now parked near the office of the HRC ‘Memorial’*,” the HRC reports.

The ECtHR has been informed about the searches at the “Memorial”* offices. “Our lawyers requested the ECtHR to order the Russian authorities to immediately stop the search and refrain from any actions aimed at the actual termination of the organization’s activities,” the HRC stated.

Meanwhile, Mikhail Biryukov, an advocate of the “Memorial”*, and Yan Rachinsky, the chair of the Board of the “International Memorial”* are not allowed into the office located on Karetny Ryad Street, the human rights defenders report. They note that the office was closed because of the liquidation of the organization. “We are not aware within what case and in connection with what circumstances the search is being carried out,” the human rights defenders emphasize.

* The organization has been put by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on the register of NCOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 4, 2022 at 01:58 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.