Students and pensioners come to support HRC “Memorial”*

Today, people have come to the building of the First Court of Appeal in Moscow, which considered a complaint against the decision to liquidate the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*. The activists believe that the outcome of the trial is a foregone conclusion, but it is necessary to support the human rights defenders.

On December 29, 2021, the Moscow City Court pronounced a decision to liquidate the HRC “Memorial”*. On February 14, the HRC filed an appeal against the court’s decision.

As a result, the Court of Appeal dismissed the request of the defence to suspend the case on the liquidation of the HRC “Memorial”* until the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the complaint against the law on foreign agents.

The defence argued that the Russian court was to postpone the liquidation of the NGO until the decision of the ECtHR, but the Supreme Court (SC) did not grant the request to suspend the liquidation of the “International Memorial”* (International Historical Educational Charitable and Human Rights Society “Memorial”).

“The only fact that the Human Rights Centre is independent disturbs the authorities,” student Irina believes.

“The today’s trial is a formality, but being here is very important for us, as we pay tribute to the Human Rights Centre, its deeds, and its employees,” pensioner Vadim said.

Let us reminded you that the claim for the liquidation of the HRC was filed by the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office, which noted that the “Memorial”* justified extremism and terrorism.

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