Decision on "International Memorial"* case confirms Russia's refusal from its international obligations

The refusal of the Russian Supreme Court (SC) to enforce the demand of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to suspend the liquidation of the "International Memorial"* indicates Russia's neglect of its international obligations, human rights defenders have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 22, the Russian SC held a session on the petition of the "International Memorial"*, which asked to suspend the liquidation until the decision of the ECtHR on the complaint against the law on foreign agents. To postpone the liquidation of the organization is the duty of the Russian court, the defence has argued, but the SC failed to grant the postponement.

The DC's decision is illegitimate, Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the "Civic Assistance" Committee*, believes.

"Russia is still subject to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), but it is violating its commitments," she said, adding that the "International Memorial"* would be able to resume its work only after the change of the country's leadership.

Russia "has found itself in an unprecedented situation, when it had gone into democratic freedoms, but then rolled back," said Oleg Orlov, a board member of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial"*. "Russia was a vivid example of a departure away from totalitarianism, but returning back – history knows nothing of the sort," he has stated.

Yan Rachinsky, the board chairman of the "International Memorial"*, said that the liquidation decision would be appealed against, but it has already entered into force; and the organization is being liquidated. "The work of the 'Memorial' will continue, as it is not only the 'International Memorial', but many independent organizations," he has stated.