Human Rights Center “Memorial” dissolved

On 5 April 2022, the First Court of Appeal in Moscow confirmed the dissolution of Human Rights Center “Memorial” (HRC Memorial) on the grounds of the alleged violations of the Foreign Agent Law. It was reported that the motive behind the liquidation of HRC Memorial is political. During the trial, additional reports disclosed that the prosecutors accused HRC Memorial of “distorting historical memory, especially that of the Great Patriotic War” and “creating a false image of the USSR as a terrorist state”.

On 29 December 2021, the Moscow City Court dissolved HRC Memorial for the alleged violation of the Foreign Agent Law. This liquidation occurred one day after the Supreme Court of Russia had ordered the liquidation of International Memorial on the same grounds. On 29 December 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) introduced interim measures under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court. The ECHR urged the Russian Federation to suspend the enforcement of the decision to liquidate HRC Memorial. The ECHR’s decision is in response to a complaint against the Russian law on foreign agents submitted to the ECHR in 2013 on behalf of eleven Russian human rights organisations, including HRC Memorial and the International Memorial. Nevertheless, the Russian authorities disregarded the decision of the ECHR.

On 22 March 2022, the Supreme Court ruled against the ECHR’s decision, stating that it had no validity since interim measures of the ECHR “usually” apply to situations where there is a threat to life and health.

Front Line Defenders condemns the dissolution of the HRC Memorial and appeals to the Russian authorities to repeal this decision. Front Line Defenders urges the Russian authorities to put an end to the judicial harassment of HRC Memorial and International Memorial, as it believes it is due to their long-term legitimate human rights work. Front Line Defenders continues to reiterate its concern regarding the set of “foreign agents” laws that currently exist within the Russian legal framework, as it places human rights defenders, independent civil society activists in Russia, independent journalists and media outlets under increased risk and constrains their peaceful and legitimate human rights work.

On 11 November 2021, the International Historical and Human Rights Society ‘Memorial’ (International Memorial) received a notice from the Supreme Court of Russian Federation, stating that the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation filed a motion to permanently shut down the association citing systemic violation of the “foreign agents” law. The court hearing is scheduled for 25 November 2021. On the same day, Human Rights Center “Memorial” (HRC “Memorial”) received a confirmation that the Prosecutor’s Office in Moscow filed a motion to the Moscow City Court to permanently shut down the HRC Memorial; the date of the hearing is not yet confirmed.

International Memorial is an association of human rights initiatives founded in 1989 to preserve the societal memory of the severe political persecution in the former Soviet Republics. International Memorial conducts research and engages in educational activities, monitoring and documenting human rights violations, as well as providing social and legal counselling for refugees, displaced persons, political prisoners, their families, and other discriminated groups. In recognition of its human rights work, International Memorial was awarded the Victor Gollancz Prize, the Hermann Kesten Prize, the Pax Christi International award, and Max van der Stoel Award. In 2006-2011 Memorial was repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

HRC "Memorial" is a human rights organisation that provides legal assistance to victims of gross human rights violations and is involved in human rights education, research and publications. HRC Memorial is particularly active in the North Caucasus and has regional offices in Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria

In their motions, both the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Prosecutor’s office in Moscow claimed that International Memorial and HRC “Memorial” and its leadership repeatedly failed to comply with the demands of the Part 2.1 of the Federal Law 272-FZ “On measures of influence on persons involved in violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian Federation,” also known as the “foreign agents: law, in particular, refused to mark their publications as the ones of the foreign agent. The notorious discriminatory law has been continuously used by Russian authorities to interfere with the work and silence civil society actors and human rights defenders in Russia.

Front Line Defenders condemns judicial harassment of International Memorial and HRC “Memorial” by the state actors and believes that this harassment is due to peaceful human rights work of both civil society actors. Front Line Defenders expresses grave concerns about the Prosecutor’s General Office’s of the Russian Federation motion to shut down International Memorial and HRC “Memorial.” Front Line Defenders reiterates its concern regarding the set of “foreign agents” laws currently existing in the Russian legal framework, as it places human rights defenders under increased risk and further hampers their peaceful and legitimate human rights work.