News about Memorial
2011-07-14 Russian Rights Activist cleared of Defamation. New York Times.
Memorial (RLA 2004) chairman and human rights campaigner Oleg P. Orlov was cleared of defamation charges on June 14. Observers saw the charge filed by Chechen leader Ramzan A. Kadyrov as part of an effort to silence criticism.
Orlov had accused Kadyrov of being responsible for the murder of his Memorial colleague, Natalya K. Estemirova. Estemirova, who was an open critic of Kadyrov, had been kidnapped and shot to death in Chechnya in July 2009.
In response, Kadyrov filed defamation charges and mocked the accusations:
"'My hands are very white and clean,' Mr. Kadyrov said in video testimony at Mr. Orlovs trial. 'I had a manicure the day before yesterday.'"
2009-10-22 Russian NGO wins EU human rights prize. Euronews.
Memorial has been awarded the European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought.
2009-07-16 Rights Activist Abducted and Killed. The Moscow Times, Russia.
Memorial's representative to Chechnya, Natalya Estemirova, was killed on Wednesday, July 15th.
The Right Livelihood Award Foundation strongly condemns the killing and appeals to the Russian government to bring the perpetrators of this horrific act to justice.
Memorial
Human Rights and Humanitarian Society
Elena Zhemkova, Executive Director
Irina Sherbakova, Head of Educational Youth Programme 127051 Moscow
Maly Karetny per. 12
RUSSIAN FED
