A letter from Yury Dmitriev Two days after being sentenced to 15 years in a strict-regime penal colony, Yury DMITRIEV wrote to veteran rights activist Lena Sannikova. Recently she published an excerpt on the Facebook page of his supporters: “In my last words to the court I said I was proud to work with Memorial. … Continue reading “We shall survive” (Dmitriev)
Yury Dmitriev
“The main thing is to pass on what we know”
On 26 December 2021, the day before the hearing, I wrote to Yury DMITRIEV (says Olga Nosenko on Facebook today). I had my doubts. Wasn't this a silly thing to do? But I posted my letter with no great expectations, sending him New Year’s greetings and the tale of my forbears. And this is what … Continue reading “The main thing is to pass on what we know”
Dmitriev: “It’s normal to be persecuted” (December 2021)
Before sentence was again passed in Petrozavodsk, and demands for the closure of Memorial were heard in Moscow, Yury DMITRIEV replied to questions from Anna Yarovaya, who published some of the earliest articles about the Karelian researcher. They communicated via the Letters service of the Federal Penal Agency; she did not receive replies to many … Continue reading Dmitriev: “It’s normal to be persecuted” (December 2021)
“I don’t need anyone’s pity”
Today [14 December] we received a letter from DMITRIEV (writes Natalya Dyomina). He says he's reading the case materials. There are 20 volumes, and he gets through 1½ to 3 of them a day. “I still have to read about a third of the case materials. Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish them all next … Continue reading “I don’t need anyone’s pity”
“I’ve not given up, I’m not dispirited, we’ll keep on fighting!”
On 29 September, the day of the new sentence, DMITRIEV sent the following letter from the detention centre to photojournalist Victoria Ivleva: Hi there, Vika! They gave me 13 [years] for [Article] 132, just as the prosecutor wanted, and set a new trial under a new judge for the charges of which I was acquitted … Continue reading “I’ve not given up, I’m not dispirited, we’ll keep on fighting!”
The Dmitriev Affair 