Human rights defender Oleg Orlov* recognized as foreign agent

The Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) included Oleg Orlov*, a co-chair of the “Memorial” Centre for Defence of Human Rights, into the register of foreign agents, noting that the human rights defender opposed the actions of the Russian troops in Ukraine and disseminated false information about the policies of the authorities of Russia.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 11, 2023, the Golovinsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Oleg Orlov* to a fine of 150,000 roubles, finding him guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The prosecutor’s office challenged the decision and requested the court to replace the fine with three years of imprisonment. Based on the findings of the forensic examination, investigators added motives of hatred and enmity to the charges against the human rights defender. Oleg Orlov* has noted that the conclusions in the examination of his article are illogical.

Oleg Orlov* worked in the military conflict zone in Chechnya since 1994. When in 1995, a detachment of militants headed by Shamil Basaev took about 1500 people hostage in Budyonnovsk, parliamentarians, including Oleg Orlov*, led by human rights defender Sergey Kovalyov, succeeded in negotiating the release of 111 women and children. Subsequently, Oleg Orlov* and other human rights defenders paid a lot of their attention to the problem of kidnapping in the Caucasus, victims among the civilian population of Chechnya and Ingushetia, and to the protection of women’s rights in the Caucasus.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.

**On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning the Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.