Defence of human rights defender Orlov doubts expertise conclusions

The defence of Oleg Orlov, a co-chairman of the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence, has doubted the quality of the expertise conducted by Alexander Tarasov, noting many errors and vague arguments. The experts invited by the defence have stated that the expertise was conducted at a low scientific level. Activists who could not get into the courtroom stated they came to support Orlov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 8, a court in Moscow began considering the criminal case against Oleg Orlov, accused of discrediting the Russian militaries. He faces up to three years of freedom deprivation. Oleg Orlov and Dmitry Muratov, his public advocate, have pointed out that persecuting a rights defender for a publication is contrary to the freedom of expression enshrined in the Russian Constitution. At the court session on July 21, Muratov pointed out to the court the inadmissibility of a legal assessment in linguistic expertise, in particular, the assertion that Orlov had discredited the Russian Army.

On July 21, Alexander Tarasov claimed that during his expertise, he made use of the methodology of the forensic psychological and linguistic examination by Kukushkina, Safonova and Sekerazh. However, Orlov's defence pointed out that the methodology was not mentioned in the bibliography.

Irina Levontina, a leading researcher at the Institute of the Russian Language of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), has stated that the expertise ordered by the investigators was conducted at an extremely low scientific level. "I've noticed a weak command of linguistic terminology; it abounds with errors, which indicate negligence, disrespect for the society and the court. The basic principle of objectivity has been violated," Ms Levontina has stated.

In her opinion, the conclusion that Orlov treats his position as "human rights one and anti-Russian" is inadmissible.