Citizens’ need for truth cannot be eliminated, according to the statement of the international historical and educational society “Memorial” (recognized in the Russian Federation as an NGO-foreign agent). On December 28, the Supreme Court ruled to terminate his work in Russia. The decision was condemned by most of the leading Western countries. In particular, it was qualified as a contradiction to international norms and a violation of human rights. However, the lawyers intend to appeal the court verdict on appeal. Dmitry Drize, a political observer for Kommersant FM, believes that such stories harm the country’s image.
Few had doubts that Memorial would be liquidated. Public opinion was prepared for this: they say, take it for granted, besides, these so-called human rights defenders are by no means saints. Apparently, the verdict of the Supreme Court should not have surprised and caused some kind of emotional reaction. It’s unpleasant, of course, but there’s nothing you can do about it. However, everything turned out differently, and it was not the decision that shocked, but the drama and design itself.
So you have to distract yourself from the pre-New Year’s worries. A representative of the General Prosecutor’s Office named Aleksey Zhafyarov accused the foreign agent “Memorial” of speculating on the topic of political repression in order to create a false image of the USSR as a terrorist state: “Why now we, the descendants of the victors, are forced to watch the attempts to rehabilitate traitors to the motherland and Nazi accomplices. Probably because someone is paying for it. And this is the real reason for the fierce rejection with which Memorial is denying the status of a foreign agent. ”
The question immediately arises: how did our valiant authorities tolerate the presence of such a “fiend of hell” in the country? By and large, such serious accusations, in particular the rehabilitation of Nazi criminals, need proof. Memorial was not tried for this, but for ignoring the status of a foreign agent and for refusing to label its products accordingly.
All of this looks like a response to human rights defenders from the darkest times in which they are closely involved. One might get the impression that these very times are not just on the threshold, but they are already here, they have returned. Especially on the eve of a popularly beloved holiday, this can be considered the main trend for the near future.
I would like to draw your attention to one more New Year’s verdict: the Karelian court has increased the term of imprisonment for the head of the local “Memorial” 65-year-old historian Yuri Dmitriev from 13 to 15 years. The court agreed with the charge and found him guilty of sexual assault. However, there were many inconsistencies in the case, and one cannot but pay attention to the toughness of our Themis.
There are great doubts that the appellate instance will somehow change the verdict. Okay, you liquidated Memorial, and then what? In theory, the state should give a clear answer whether or not it is possible to investigate the events of the Soviet past. Maybe it’s easier to take everything and ban it? Let’s say that the Soviet Union was a state where there was no trace of political repression. And those who claim the opposite are foreign agents and imperialist hirelings. And then it will be easier, because there will be clarity. Otherwise, it turns out not two, not one and a half – it is not clear what is possible and what is not.
Read the opinions of political observer Dmitry Drize – exclusively on the Kommersant FM Telegram channel.
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