At the request of the Russian government amends the statute Memorial – Television Republic

Memorial Association reported that on completion of the all-conference in Moscow has made changes to its statutes, which meet the demands of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Memorial handed, too, that in the coming week to notify changes to the Ministry of Justice, which calls for the elimination of this well-deserved NGO defending human rights and documenting Stalin’s crimes.

November 13, the Supreme Court adjourned FR 17 December examining the application of the Ministry of Justice for the liquidation of the association. Resort to Memorial alleged failure to comply with the law on associations. Ministry demands that all structures in the regions FR associations have the status of regional offices.

One of the leaders of Arseny Rogiński Memorial reported that in accordance with changes in the statutes of the association will henceforth compound organization.

So far, the Memorial was complicated horizontal structure – in its composition consisted of both individual citizens and civil society organizations; they decide how it will be called branch. The association has a total of more than 60 players in 45 regions of the Russian Federation. Only 17 had the status of regional offices. Others included in the association as an organization, based on submitted applications. The law states that a national organization must have branches in more than half of the 83 regions of the Russian Federation.

Memorial request the Ministry of Justice appealed first to the district court in Moscow, and later to the Moscow City Court. Both instances to agree with the Ministry of Justice.

In late August, the association gave it a month to make a change in the statutes. Memorandum addressed to the Ministry of Justice for an extension of the deadline until 20 November, which is the day of the association originally planned conference with the aim to make the desired changes. However, the Ministry of Justice refused and asked the court to liquidate the organization.

Memorial exposed himself to the Ministry of Justice by refusing to apply to him for registration of “foreign agents”. The obligation to apply for such entry requires non-governmental organizations (NGOs), passed in 2012 by the initiative of the Russian parliament Kremlin Organisations Act receiving funds from abroad, and participating in the political life of the Russian Federation.

Memorial refuses to register as a “foreign agent”, arguing that it would hit the reputation of the association. He emphasizes that it is not considered “foreign agent.”

Furthermore, in October belonging to the state-controlled Gazprom NTV issued material suggesting that Islamic terrorists supporting memorandum from the North Caucasus. According to NTV one of the terrorists, which – as the pro-Kremlin put it this station – “weapons” association, now struggling in the ranks of the organization of the Islamic State in Syria.

Memorial sharply criticized the Kremlin’s policy towards Ukraine. In August, the association demanded an immediate end to the aggression of Russia against Ukraine. Memorial also requires the French authorities explanations on the Russian soldiers who died in the fighting in the east of Ukraine. The organization is also recognized as a political prisoner detained in Russia Nadiya Ukrainian military aviator Savchenko.