CoE: Russia should discontinue liquidation of Memorial, repeal ‘foreign agents’ law

The Council of Europe (CoE) says that  Russian authorities’ move towards liquidating the NGOs International Memorial and Human Rights Centre Memorial for non-compliance with the so-called “foreign agents” law is ‘deeply disturbing’.

CoE says that the Memorial is one of the ‘most senior and prominent’ human rights groups in Russia and a symbol of the ‘relentless fight’ for freedom, democracy and human rights in the post-soviet area and beyond.

“Dissolving them would have significant negative consequences for civil society as a whole and human rights protection in the country,”CoE says. It states that the “foreign agents” law ‘falls short’ of international and European human rights standards and should be repealed as a matter of priority.