Human rights defender Oleg Orlov* remains on register of foreign agents

The court did not grant a claim filed by Oleg Orlov*, the co-chair of the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence*, and left him on the register of foreign agents.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on February 2, the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) included Oleg Orlov*, the co-chair of the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence*, in the register of foreign agents. The MoJ noted that Oleg Orlov* opposed the actions of the Russian troops in Ukraine and disseminated false information about the policies of the Russian authorities.

Let us remind you that the human rights defender was included in the register of foreign agents while criminal proceedings were instituted against him under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. On February 27, in Moscow, a court found Oleg Orlov*guilty and sentenced him to 2.5 years of imprisonment.

The reason for the prosecution of Oleg Orlov* was the Russian translation of his article in the “Mediapart” posted on Facebook**. The article condemns the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.

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

**As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the register of foreign agents was the spread of “inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces.”

***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.