EU supports "Memorial"*

The European Union (EU) has expressed its solidarity with the historical, educational, charitable and human rights society "Memorial"*, and called on the Russian authorities to stop the unjustified persecution thereof.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that employees of the "Memorial" Centre for Defending Human Rights, as well as those of the liquidated "International Memorial"* and the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial"* were detained on March 21 after the conducted searches within the case of Nazism rehabilitation. A criminal case has been initiated against Oleg Orlov, a co-chairman of the "Memorial" Centre for Defending Human Rights, for repeated discrediting of the Russian Army; he was released under recognizance not to leave. During the searches in the office of "Memorial", a female employee of the "Caucasian Knot" was also detained; after interrogation she was released. During the searches, law enforcers took away computers and "turned everything upside down," says the Telegram channel of the "Memorial" Centre for Defending Human Rights.

In its Telegram channel, the EU Representative Office has noted that the "Memorial"* plays an invaluable role in Russia in protecting human rights and in combating attempts to manipulate the historical memory of political repressions that flooded the country in the 20th century.

The EU has called on Russian authorities to "observe the rule of law, the Russian Constitution and its commitments within the international law, including in the field of human rights."

*The organization was included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the register of NCOs, performing the functions of a foreign agent, and was liquidated by a court’s decision.