A rare moment of justice from a Russian court has proved all too fleeting, writes Halya Coynash. On 14 June, Karelia’s High Court overturned the acquittal in April of world-renowned historian Yury Dmitriev and sent the ‘case’ back for retrial. Dmitriev’s imprisonment and trial had been widely viewed as politically-motivated persecution, and his acquittal – … Continue reading Political Trial reinstated
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Dmitriev receives Moscow Helsinki Group award
On 12 May 2018, YURY DMITRIEV was among the recipients of the yearly awards made by the Moscow Helsinki Group. Like other laureates, he wore a black teeshirt demanding "Freedom for Oyub Titiyev!" the detained head of Memorial in Chechnya. After the award ceremony (photo, Maxim Lyalin) (The photograph shows Dmitriev with fellow laureate Victoria … Continue reading Dmitriev receives Moscow Helsinki Group award
Disquieting News
On 22 April, the Karelian edition of the Rossiya TV Channel's "Events of the Week" programme included a brief item, mentioning that "this summer" there would be fresh investigations of the burials at the Sandarmokh memorial complex near Medvezhegorsk. https://youtu.be/oE6QUXuuz60 (For those who know Russian, the item begins five minutes into this half-hour broadcast) Periodically, … Continue reading Disquieting News
A letter from Natasha
During his Final Words to the court, YURY DMITRIEV did not launch a blistering denunciation of those who had obstructed his work for years, and persecuted him after he was arrested and charged with child pornography and corruption of a minor in December 2016. He read the court a letter from his adopted daughter Natasha. … Continue reading A letter from Natasha
Grandmother also appeals against verdict
The grandmother of YURY DMITRIEV’s adopted daughter Natasha has appealed to the Supreme Court of Karelia against his acquittal. This was first reported yesterday on the Petrozavodsk Calling [R] website. In a telephone conversation with 7x7, the woman confirmed that she had submitted an appeal to the higher court. She refused to explain why she … Continue reading Grandmother also appeals against verdict
The Dmitriev Affair 