70-year-old Oleg Orlov, Soviet era dissident, co-chair of Memorial, hostage negotiator, and one of the most prominent human right defenders in Russia, is being taken from court, which sentenced him to 2.5 years in prison for "discrediting" the Russian army.
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— Mediazona English (@mediazona_en) February 27, 2024
Statement by Human Rights Groups on the Unjust Verdict and Sentence in Politically Motivated Case Against Russian Human Rights Defender Oleg Orlov
February 27, 2024
We, 31 human rights organizations, condemn Moscow’s Golovinsky District Court’s sentencing today of Oleg Orlov, co-chair of Human Rights Defense Center Memorial, to 2 years and 6 months in prison on politically motivated charges of “repeatedly discrediting” Russia’s armed forces.
Orlov, 70, is a veteran human rights defender who has devoted his life to exposing rights abuses and seeking justice for victims. His “crime” was to protest the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine and the escalating political repression inside Russia. Orlov’s trial was a mockery of justice and an attack on the fundamental right to free expression. He and his legal team have said that they will appeal the verdict.
Russian authorities should quash Oleg Orlov’s conviction and release him immediately along with all those detained simply for exercising their basic human rights, including public criticism of government abuses. Key international actors should use their influence take all possible measures to obtain Orlov’s freedom and hold the Russian government accountable for its grave and persistent human rights violations.
List of Signatories
Amnesty International
Andrei Sakharov Institute
Anti-Discrimination Center Memorial (Belgium)
Belarussian Helsinki Committee
Board of Civil Society Forum
Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine
Citizens’ Watch
Civic Assistance Committee
Crew Against Torture
Freedom Files, Poland
Freedom House
Front Line Defenders
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland)
Human Rights Center Viasna (Belarus)
Human Rights Defence Center “Memorial”
Human Rights House Foundation
Human Rights Watch
International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)
International Memorial Association
International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)
International Protection Centre
Mass Media Defence Centre
Movement of Conscientious Objectors
Norwegian Helsinki Committee
Östgruppen
OVD-Info
Public Verdict Foundation
Radio Sakharov
Stichting Justice Initiative
The Netherlands Helsinki Committee
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Top photo: Still from Mediazona.
