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Ravensbrück Memorial Museum

The Brandenburg Memorials Foundation protests against the threatened dissolution of the Russian human rights organisation Memorial International

17. November 2022

As became known a few days ago, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office has requested the "liquidation" of the Russian human rights organisation Memorial International, on which the Russian Supreme Court will decide on 25 November 2021. Already in 2016, the organisation was put on the list of "foreign agents". Repression and even attacks on events followed.

Foundation Director Axel Drecoll: "We protest against the threatened dissolution of Memorial International and stand in solidarity with our colleagues, with whom we have worked together amicably for many years in coming to terms with parts of our common history. The accusations made against the organisation are incomprehensible. We therefore demand that Memorial be allowed to continue its important work. Our support, but also our concern, goes not least to all the staff of Memorial, whose extremely commendable commitment is now up for grabs."

The human rights organisation Memorial International, whose roots go back to the glasnost and perestroika phase of the late Soviet Union, is one of the most important civil society actors in Russia. For decades, Memorial International has been dedicated to coming to terms with Stalinism as well as Nazi crimes and has actively campaigned for democracy and human rights. The organisation has a unique collection of objects and memorial reports from the GULag. In addition, Memorial has been an important and reliable partner for research and educational projects with international cooperation partners for many years, especially in the Federal Republic of Germany.

A protest rally will take place today, Wednesday, at 5 pm in front of the Russian Embassy in Berlin.

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