Memorial International relocated to Geneva after being banned by the Russian Supreme court in 2021. The launch of the Swiss chapter of the body was announced at the weekend.
“We want to support Memorial in its work to reconstruct historical truth and to uphold the memory of the victims of political oppression by totalitarian regimes,” Memorial Switzerland stated.
“The Swiss section of Memorial unconditionally condemns the current war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, while expressing its support for the Ukrainian people,” it added.
The new chapter will initially set to work translating documented evidence previously uncovered by Memorial Russia and Russian state propaganda.
Memorial International, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, documents the human rights atrocities of the Soviet era and ongoing abuses by Russia.
In 2021, Russia’s Supreme Court dissolved Memorial International and its sister organisation Memorial Human Rights Centre for allegedly distorting history and for acting as “foreign agents”.
At the time, the Swiss foreign ministry condemned the decision as a “violation of fundamental freedoms”.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Why cars still reign supreme in ‘rail-nation’ Switzerland
Swiss government adopts three-pronged approach to end violence against women
This content was published on
Over the next few years, the federal government intends to take action against gender-based violence in three main areas.
Uri voters clear path for hotel and marina complex in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Voters in canton Uri in central Switzerland have rejected a Green Party initiative aimed at regulating the development of the lakeside site in Isleten.
Switzerland calls ban of Memorial International a violation of freedom
This content was published on
The Alpine nation raised concerns about the dissolution of Russian human rights NGO Memorial International by the Supreme Court.
Switzerland condemns Russian annexation of Ukraine regions
This content was published on
The Swiss government has condemned Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions, saying it is a serious violation of international law.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.