Authorities are seeking to have Memorial designated as an “extremist” organisation.

The authorities are seeking to have the International Memorial movement designated as an “extremist” organisation. The Supreme Court has accepted the relevant application for review. This was reported by RBC, citing the court’s press service.

The Supreme Court will hear the case as a court of first instance in a closed session.

On 11 November 2021, the Prosecutor General’s Office filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court seeking the dissolution of International Memorial, citing “systematic violations of the ‘foreign agents’ law.” The following day, the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office filed a similar lawsuit against Memorial Human Rights Centre with the Moscow City Court. In the latter suit, security officials also claimed that the centre’s materials displayed “signs of justifying extremism and terrorism.” At the end of December, the courts ruled to dissolve both organisations.

• OVD-Info has released the podcast “Liquidation” about how Memorial operated prior to dissolution, the significance of these organisations, and the pressure they faced from the state.