Urmas Paet: closing down the Memorial would be a big blow to independent historical inquiries and human rights

Urmas Paet, a member of the European Parliament, stated that closing down the independent rights organisation Memorial by the Russian authorities would constitute a big blow to those that have suffered the repressions of the Soviet Union and to the protection of human rights in Russia as a whole.
 
“Over 20 years the Memorial has investigated and recorded the repression policies of Soviet Union as a whole, but also through the personal stories of thousands of individuals. Today´s Russian leadership dislikes that and they are aiming to dissolve the Memorial,” said Paet.
 
The Supreme Court hearing for the eradication of the Memorial takes place today on the 13th of November 2014.
 
“I visited the Memorial in February 2014 and could see the thoroughness and sensitivity with which the people of the Memorial have handled the stories of the people that suffered the repressions of the Soviet Union. Closing down this organization would have a huge setback also to humanity in Russia today,” said Paet “This would equal to trampling on the memories and sufferings of hundreds of thousands of the repressed and their loved ones,” he added.