The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a stern condemnation on Wednesday regarding Moscow’s latest legal campaign against Memorial, the human rights organization that shared the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Russian authorities are currently seeking to label the group as an “extremist organization,” a move that would effectively outlaw its remaining operations within the country.
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, stated that the body is “deeply alarmed by the Russian authorities’ latest attempts to destroy Memorial.” The committee’s intervention comes one day before the Russian Supreme Court is scheduled to review a petition from the Ministry of Justice to classify the organization as an “undesirable entity.”
If the court approves the petition, the consequences for the group’s supporters will be severe. The designation would force a total ban on the organization, exposing any individual who funds, participates in, or even shares materials published by Memorial to potential prison sentences of up to four years.
A history of suppression
Memorial has faced sustained pressure from the Kremlin for years. The organization was previously declared a “foreign agent” and was formally dissolved by the Russian Supreme Court at the end of 2021. Despite these efforts to dismantle its domestic presence, the group has continued its work through networks in Germany, France, and Italy.
“To designate such an organisation as extremist is an affront to the fundamental values of human dignity and freedom of expression,” Frydnes said. He called on Russian authorities to abandon the claim and halt the ongoing harassment of the group’s members.
The organization, founded in 1987, built its reputation on documenting human rights abuses throughout Russia. Following the 2022 Nobel win, international scrutiny on the group’s leadership intensified. Several prominent figures, including Oleg Orlov, have faced criminal proceedings for their opposition to the war in Ukraine. Orlov was released in a prisoner exchange earlier this year and currently continues his human rights documentation from abroad.
Beyond Memorial, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize was shared with the Ukrainian organization Centre for Civil Liberties and Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski. The committee’s latest statement serves as a direct challenge to the Kremlin's ongoing crackdown on civil society activists who remain within Russia or continue to advocate for its citizens from exile.
