28 January 2015

Source: HRO.org (info)

• Moscow region and Moscow  Human rights activists   Freedom of association  Legal protection  Persecution of activists

Russia's Supreme Court has thrown out the Ministry of Justice's suit to close down the Russian Memorial Society for violations of the law discovered in the course of inspections. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice who appeared in court stressed that "We believe this organisation does good work which will endure".

The ruling by judge Alla Nazarova dismisses the Ministry of Justice's case against Memorial, reports Radio Svoboda.

According to Interfax news agency, the court reached its decision today but has not yet made its reasoning public.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Justice spokesperson told the court that although the International Memorial Society had rectified its previous violations of the law, the Ministry of Justice was not prepared to retract its case for the closure of its Russian branch and was leaving it to the court to decide how to proceed.

However, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice stressed that Memorial should continue its work. According to the Kavkazsky Uzel (Caucasian Knot) website, she clarified the Ministry's position in the following words: "We believe this organisation does good work which will endure, and we are sure that the Russian branch of Memorial should exist".

Translated by Suzanne Eade Roberts