Court shuts down another human rights group in Russia
[Dmitry Dzhus / CC BY 2.0]
MOSCOW (AP) — A court in Moscow has granted a request to shut down another prominent human rights organization amid a sweeping crackdown on Russia’s rights groups, independent media and opposition supporters.
The Moscow City Court’s decision on Wednesday to shut down the Memorial Human Rights Center came a day after Russia’s Supreme Court revoked the legal status of its sister organization, Memorial.
The court’s decision to liquidate Memorial, which rose to prominence for its studies of political repression in the Soviet Union, sparked an international outrage.
Prosecutors petitioned to shut down the groups last month, arguing they had repeatedly violated regulations obliging them to identify themselves as foreign agents in all content they produce. Memorial has rejected the accusations as politically motivated and vowed to continue its work.
The rulings to close them drew widespread public outrage, with crowds of supporters showing up at courthouses on Tuesday and Wednesday despite freezing weather.