Russian attempts to discredit Yury DMITRIEV are proving increasingly futile, writes Halya Coynash. On 10 December the renowned historian of the Soviet Terror and head of the Karelia branch of the Memorial Society was named as one of the 15 laureates of the prestigious Franco-German Prize for Human Rights for 2020.
Prize*
Dmitriev awarded Franco-German Prize
“Every year since 2016, to mark Human Rights Day* [10 December], Germany and France have jointly presented the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law. Whether they be a human rights defender, a journalist or a lawyer: this award recognises the efforts of all those who work tirelessly every day to advance the causes of human rights and the rule of law,” wrote the website of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs a few days back.
Continue readingDmitriev 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.
(The photograph shows Dmitriev with fellow laureate Victoria Gromova
from Vladimir, Central Russia, in the courtyard behind Teatr.doc)
“Anyone can find themselves in prison …”
“After we’d recovered from the excitement of Yury Dmitriev’s release” (see 28 January interview) “I thought of more questions I wanted to ask him, though these still do not exhaust my list,” writes Anna Yarovaya.
“I tried not to repeat anything. I particularly like the passage about his beard: the longer it grows, apparently, the more he’s worked on a project.”
The Dmitriev Affair 