Lawyers of International Memorial* have appealed the Supreme Court’s ruling on the historical and human rights society’s annihilation. On December 28, 2021, the court annihilated International Memorial* due to violations of the law on foreign agents: the organization released some content without labeling. The historical and human rights society’s press secretary reported this to 7x7.
The lawyers have filed an appeal against the ruling with the Appellate Chamber of the Supreme Court. In their opinion, the lack of the foreign agent label is not a reason for International Memorial’s* annihilation. The lawyers reported that the organization had always corrected deficiencies and paid fines.
"The annihilation of International Memorial*, which has already paid fines for not labeling its content, violates the prohibition on double jeopardy. And the requirements for the content of labeling cannot be considered 'clear and definite', as the Supreme Court describes them," the defenders said.
In addition, the lawyers reported that the court had refused the examination of witnesses and had not taken the organization’s contribution to the life of Russian society into account.
International Memorial* is a network of organizations including regional branches in Russia, the Memorial Human Rights Center*, offices in Germany, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. The structure of International Memorial* in Moscow includes an archive, a museum, a library and a public space. The organization was repeatedly fined for the lack of the foreign agent label.
The Prosecutor General's Office filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court of Russia demanding International Memorial’s* annihilation on November 11, 2021. According to the agency, the organization has repeatedly violated the law on foreign agents, releasing content without labeling. The Supreme Court sustained the Prosecutor General's Office’s claim on December 28. The next day, the Moscow City Court annihilated the Memorial Human Rights Center* on a similar lawsuit filed by the Moscow City Prosecutor's Office.
