Foreign politicians urge to revise decision to liquidate "International Memorial"*

The liquidation of the "International Memorial"* indicates the suppression of the freedom of speech and a departure from common European values, while the law on foreign agents is being used to narrow the space for independent critical thinking and dialogue. This was stated by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Chairperson and the US Ambassador to Russia. The decision of the Russia's Supreme Court (SC) was also condemned by the Czech and German Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFAs).

The SC's decision is politically motivated, it will be appealed against, the defence has stated.

The closure of the organization is an insult to the memory of the millions who died in the Gulag, said Marie Struthers, the Amnesty International (AI) director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The liquidation of the "International Memorial" means that residents of Russia will lose important sources of knowledge about their history, Ann Linde, the OSCE Chairperson and the head of the Swedish MFA, has stated.

The SC ruling runs counter to Russia's obligations to protect civil rights, the German MFA has stated.

John Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Russia, has also criticized the decision to liquidate the "International Memorial".

The Czech MFA has stated that "the blow on this oldest and internationally respected Russian nongovernmental organization (NGO) is a symbol of repression against the civil society in the Russian Federation."