“International Memorial”* reports about blocking of its bank accounts

At the request of the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the “International Memorial”* (International Historical Educational Charitable and Human Rights Society “Memorial”) was excluded from the list of legal entities, although the liquidation of the organization has not been completed, human rights defenders report. The blocking of the bank accounts of the “International Memorial”* created a problem with the execution of the decision on its liquidation.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on February 28, the Appeal Board of the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia upheld the decision to liquidate the “International Memorial”*. The administration of the “International Memorial”* began the procedure for its liquidation, but requested the Supreme Court to postpone the execution of the decision until the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the complaint about the law on foreign agents. On March 22, the Court did not grant the request. The refusal of the Supreme Court to comply with the requirement of the ECtHR indicates Russia’s neglect of international obligations, human rights defenders point out.

The bank accounts of the “International Memorial”* were blocked on April 5, the organization reported on its Telegram channel. The human rights defenders emphasize that the blocking contradicts the law and will not allow paying salaries to employees and paying off partners.

On December 29, 2021, the Moscow City Court also ruled to liquidate the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*. On April 5, the court of appeal in Moscow did not grant the request of the defence to suspend the liquidation process until the decision of the ECtHR on the complaint about the law on foreign agents.

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