A second expert assessment has effectively overturned the entire case against YURY DMITRIEV, renowned Russian historian and head of the Karelia branch of Memorial (writes Halya Coynash).

There is no immediate sign that this judicial travesty is ending, with the prosecutor immediately demanding yet another assessment of the photos which experts found no pornographic content in, and that Dmitriev be placed for ‘tests’ in a psychiatric institution.  The court agreed to both, however did reject the prosecutor’s application for a further three months in detention.  Whether Dmitriev will be released on 28 January 2018, his 62nd birthday, remains to be seen, given the clear attempts underway to save the prosecution.  Continue reading →