Memorial is a human rights research and education centre based in Moscow. It was founded towards the end of the Soviet era with the goal of preserving the societal memory of political persecution and oppression. Today it works in post-Soviet states, monitoring human rights and helping “to promote mature civil society and democracy based on the rule of law.” Tatyana Kasatkina is the Executive Director of Memorial. She spoke to the IJT at her office in Moscow.

By Maria Morina, Moscow

Could you start by explaining the background of Memorial – how it started?
It was a period when everybody tried to change something in this country. So Memorial appeared. In 1989-1990 we were witnessing people afraid to add their signature...They would say “yes, my relative was imprisoned”, but were too scared to share documents. So at that stage we helped people overcome their fear - fear that accompanied them during all those years. And after that Memorial started focusing on different subjects - human rights today and human rights history are interdependent.

How have things changed since you started?
In early days of Memorial there was euphoria. Now things are very different. We thought that we were building democracy, and now it turns out that what is built is nowhere near democracy. Now it is more complicated to work, more dreadful. At that time no one was killed. Now people are killed, imprisoned. Now it is even kind of nauseating to work, because the government talks about democracy, and everything being done for the people, while in fact everything is against the people.

What do you see as main obstacles in your work?
Sometimes it seems like we are trying to break the Kremlin walls with our heads, but it leads to no results.The government does not understand the role of human rights organisations, does not understand that [we] should be working for them, not against them, to build democracy. Basically we say “here we found major problems for our country, for our society,” so the government should listen and solve it, because all we can do is provide information. Unfortunately, the authorities try to hide such information, and those who make it public get killed. Our colleague Natalia Estemirova was killed for making public information about what is going on in the Chechen Republic.

How significant is the European Court of Human Rights for Russian organisations like Memorial?
I think it is very important – it is one weapon against the Russian judicial system. It makes them aware that we can defend people using international mechanisms. Our primary goal is to make the national system of human rights protection work. Our country should defend its own citizens. So we feel bitterness when the words “Case of Mr X against Russian Federation” are said. Russia should be ashamed that we have to appeal to international courts.

[Despite winning cases at the ECHR] there is no control over the execution of court decisions [in Russia]...no changes in legislation, no crime investigations, so we do not prevent further crimes.

What more would you like to see international organisations do to help further your work?
When Natalia Estemirova was killed, we felt how international organisations were helping us. Our impression was that they are all gathering around us, ready to stand up in front of us and defend us. When we were forced to suspend our activities in the Chechen Republic, international organisations helped us. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Civil Rights Defenders and FIDH said, folks, come back to the republic, you will not be alone there, we will be with you. And now our colleague is working there in cooperation with Human Rights Watch.

We felt solidarity of the human rights defenders from all over the world. And we’re demanding the international community to force Russia to become a democratic state. We want Russia to be a democratic state. And that’s not mere words.

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