Rights defender Oleg Orlov* received offer to go to Ukraine

The 70-year-old human rights defender Oleg Orlov*, sentenced to freedom deprivation for his pacifist position, has received an offer at the SIZO (pre-trial prison), where he is kept, to take part in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 27, 2024, Oleg Orlov*, a co-chairman of the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence**, was found guilty within a criminal case of discrediting the Russian Army and sentenced to 2.5 years in custody.

After Orlov* was transferred to a Moscow SIZO, he was "almost immediately" offered to sign a consent for taking part in the SMO in Ukraine, the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence** reported in its Telegram channel, noting that "such consents are offered to all the newly arriving inmates."

"He asked with a laugh whether his age bothered them – he turns 71 this year. They told him that nothing bothered them. Orlov*, of course, wrote: "I don’t agree," says the channel.

Oleg Orlov* "feels well." "The inmates treat him with respect," human rights defenders have noted.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.

**As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the roster of foreign agents was the spread of "inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces."