“Oleg Orlov’s trial which begins tomorrow, is a travesty of justice”, declared the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, on Wednesday 7 June.
Charged in March with “repeatedly discrediting the Russian army”, this human rights defender - a “long-time partner” of the Commissioner’s office, Ms Mijatović points out - faces prison for protesting against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
He is one of the leaders of the human rights group Memorial, co-recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.
This group was liquidated by the authorities “as part of the crackdown on the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, which has been going on for a decade in Russia with the adoption of the ‘law on foreign agents’ and has intensified considerably in the context of the war against Ukraine”, writes Dunja Mijatović.
She concludes by reiterating her “call on Council of Europe member states” to support Oleg Orlov and other human rights defenders in Russia, both at home and in exile.
“Their work in promoting peace, freedom and human rights is especially needed nowadays.” (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)