After the independent media, the Russian authorities are increasingly targeting other organizations. Now Memorial, one of Russia’s oldest and most respected human rights organizations, is also at risk of closure.

Memorial has been reporting on human rights abuses since the 1980s. He investigated the crimes committed by the Soviet dictator Stalin, which killed millions. But declaring persecution in Russia, even since the last century, is becoming less and less permissible.

Officially, the organization is being sued because Memorial would not have adhered to the rules associated with the “foreign agent” label, which the organization had already imposed in 2013. And because they maintain a public list of political prisoners, among whom is opposition politician Alexei Navalny. This is considered support for “extremism and terrorism” in Russia.

political decision

According to the director of the Memorial Museum Irina Galkova, the indictment is clearly political, aimed at eliminating criticism of the Soviet past.

“Our liquidation is clearly a political decision from above,” Galkova said. “It is a huge blow to civil society and we are very concerned.”