“Memorial”* calls Russian courts a tool for reprisals against those undesirable for authorities

In Russia, the institution of justice has been destroyed, courts have become a tool for reprisals against people and organizations undesirable for the authorities, and the country is returning to totalitarianism, states the Council of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*. After the refusal of the court to suspend the liquidation of the organization, the HRC “Memorial”* stops updating its website.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that today, a court in Moscow has held a hearing on a complaint against the decision to liquidate the HRC “Memorial”*. The Judge did not grant the request of the defence to suspend the liquidation process until the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the complaint against the law on foreign agents.

On December 29, 2021, the court pronounced a decision to liquidate the HRC “Memorial”*. Today, diplomats have come to the court to support the human rights defenders.

According to authors of the statement posted on the website of the HRC “Memorial”*, the HRC was created as a non-governmental public organization and began to work in the years when Russia was parting with the totalitarian past.

“We hoped that Russia was moving towards freedom ... democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights. We were wrong. It turned out that a return to the totalitarian past is possible, and it is happening now,” the human rights defenders emphasized in their statement.

The human rights defenders note that there is also a portion of their fault in the current events. However, the authors of the statement believe that the movement for people’s rights will not be suppressed.

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