On Tuesday, Russia’s Supreme Court dissolved Memorial International for distorting history in its compilation of Soviet era atrocities.
“The dissolution is a violation of fundamental freedoms to which Russia has committed itself,” read a statement by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on Twitter on Wednesday.
The organisation, which has existed since 1989, was commended for its “invaluable independent historical and educational work about the Gulag and Soviet political repression”.
On Wednesday, sister organisation Memorial Human Rights Centre was also dissolved by the Supreme Court for violating a controversial law which requires groups receiving funds from abroad to declare themselves as “foreign agents”. The group tracks human rights violations in contemporary Russia, including political prosecutions of Vladimir Putin’s opponents.
Shades of the past
The two dissolutions on Tuesday and Wednesday mark a new level in the all-out crackdown on voices critical of the Kremlin. The year 2021 was marked by the imprisonment of the Kremlin’s main opponent, Alexei Navalny, and the banning of his movement for “extremism”, but also the designation of numerous NGOs, independent media or individuals as “agents of foreigners”.
This classification, which is reminiscent of the “enemy of the people” classification in the Soviet era, forces the targeted individuals or entities to undergo tedious administrative procedures and to mention this status in each of their publications.
The deteriorating situation for Russian civil society was also touched upon by Switzerland.
“Switzerland calls on Russia to reverse the increasing restrictions on civil society,” said the FDFA statement.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
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.