27 May 2024, 21:33
EU includes investigator and judge in Orlov’s* case in sanctions list
The European Union included in the sanctions list the investigator who led the criminal case instituted against Oleg Orlov* and the judge who sentenced the human rights defender to imprisonment. The investigator and the judge are accused of human rights violations.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on February 27, in Moscow, a court found Oleg Orlov*, the co-chair of the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence*, guilty in the criminal case for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and sentenced him to 2.5 years of imprisonment.
The verdict pronounced against Oleg Orlov for his statements contradicts the Constitution of the Russian Federation and international covenants, and it has become evidence of the abolition of freedom of speech in Russia, human rights defenders note. Oleg Orlov* himself called the verdict confirmation of the Russia’s return to totalitarianism.
The list released on the EU’s website states that investigator Ilya Savchenko “contributed to the prosecution” of Oleg Orlov* for posting his opinion. “He found that Oleg Orlov* posted his article, being guided by ‘ideological hostility towards traditional Russian spiritual, moral, and patriotic values’ and hatred towards the social group of ‘Russian militaries.’ Therefore, investigator Ilya Savchenko is responsible for serious violations of human rights in Russia by violating freedom of opinion and expression,” the EU’s document states.
Judge Elena Astakhova, who pronounced the verdict against Oleg Orlov*, also “bears responsibility for serious violations of human rights in Russia.”
Let us remind you that the reason for the persecution of Oleg Orlov* was the Russian translation of his article in the “Mediapart” posted on Facebook**. The article condemns the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.
*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.
**As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the register of foreign agents was the spread of “inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces.”
***On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning the Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 27, 2024 at 07:07 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: Caucasian Knot
