Russia opens criminal case against Nobel Prize-winning group's co-chair
Oleg Orlov
A criminal case has been opened by the Russian authorities on Tuesday against Oleg Orlov, the co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning civil rights group Memorial, for "discrediting" the army. The group received the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize with Belarus's jailed activist Ales Bialiatski and Ukraine's Centre for Civil Liberties.
The move came after the sweeping raids against the group's members, including 69-year-old Orlov and co-founder Yan Rachinsky, 64. Moscow Times reported that if convicted, Orlov faces up to three years in prison.
Memorial said on its Telegram channel that Orlov has been charged with repeatedly violating Russia's law, which was passed last March and effectively outlaws criticism of the invasion of Ukraine. The group said, "A case was launched against Orlov."
An accusation of rehabilitating Nazism, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, was the basis for the investigation.
The searches took place as President Vladimir Putin hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for talks. The investigation was launched on charges of rehabilitating Nazism, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Memorial, Russia's most renowned rights group, was disbanded by Russian authorities in late 2021, just months before Putin sent troops to Ukraine.
)
What’s in a name? Trump’s 'Lake America' move gets a tit-for-tat response from Canada
)
Outrage erupts after 3-year-old is married to 60-year-old man in Pakistan, link to her sister's murder being probed
)
Trump gifts Xi a bald eagle sculpture at White House dinner: Here’s what it symbolises
)
‘Not just a local tragedy’: Nepal PM Shah warns UN of growing climate threat, says Nepal floods were 'a warning to the world'
)
Farhan, who went viral for AK47 celebration vs India in Asia Cup, hopes to lead Pakistan beyond Asian Games
)
CNN, Politico and MS NOW back in White House after judge blocks Trump’s media ban
Don't Be Shy movie review: A frothy coming-of-age tale that is too shy to experiment
)
IIT Bombay CCTV footage emerges: Sahil Wakode seen looking at phone in examination hall
)
Tesla is preparing something big for Optimus: new Gen 3 models surface in app
)
Bias or safety concerns? Bengaluru CEO says firm will not hire men from UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, MP. Here's why
)
Trump's welcome to Xi demonstrates 'attraction' to dictators: Chuck Schumer
)
Nations League: Germany draw on Klopp debut; Portugal, Norway win
)
WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: Union Minister Shekhawat on 'experiential travel', peace diplomacy
)
Scientists detect first radio signals directly from faraway planet
)
A seven-day roadmap? Iran proposes plan to end war, reopen Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks
)
China to test supersonic jet that moves at Mach 2, double the speed of sound
)
The Vvaan Review: This Ekta Kapoor's Tulsi Virani-coded world can't be saved by Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia
)
Xi Jinping's 'special plane' vs Trump's Air Force One: What's the difference?
)
UNGA 2026: Israeli PM attacks Britain, France for past colonialism
)
West Indies coach Sammy looking at India series as opportunity to finetune ahead of ODI World Cup 2027 qualifiers
)
‘We’ve never gotten along better’: Trump praises Xi, jokes about White House ballroom at high-stakes state dinner
)
Air India pilot suspended after failing pre-flight alcohol test on Zurich-Delhi route
)
Yemen called Trump for US military support in fight against Houthis: Official
)
2,000-foot tube, laser tests and more: China builds towns to expand nuclear arsenal, satellite images show
)
Meet Adrian Abraham: 9-year-old Indian-origin guitar prodigy aiming for a Guinness World Record
)
US faces fresh cost crunch as mortgage rates hit 7%, oil tops $107 and gas prices surge
)
'Blockbuster' nor'easter develops an eye similar to hurricanes as warnings are issued
)
Alarming video emerges as landslide damages houses in Sikkim’s Rimbi village. Watch
)
OpenAI is building AI to fight cyber threats: What GPT-6 Cyber means for security
)
'Making history': Xi Jinping praises Trump as US-China leaders dine at White House
)
'What kind of confession is this?': Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s 'terrorists would be roaming New York' remark goes viral, raises alarm online. Watch
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Netanyahu at UN: Mass walkout, attack on Mamdani and Iran threats | In Pics
)
'We do not wish to continue. It's America that must choose': Iran president Pezeshkian calls on US to end war
)
WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How local tourism MSMEs must upskill for AI integration
)
Bollywood mourns Mushtaq Khan: Sunny Deol, Rajpal Yadav and others pay tribute
)
'FIRST LOOK from inside Noah’s Ark': Researchers share video from inside mysterious mound in Turkey
)
Israeli envoy to US Yechiel Leiter’s son critically injured in West Bank ramming attack
)
'Fund people, not bombs': Hundreds take to New York streets as Netanyahu delivers speech at UN; dozens arrested
)
The searches against group members are part of a crackdown that the Kremlin has unleashed against dissent in recent years. Moscow intensified after Russia invaded Ukraine more than a year ago.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.