A court has overturned the acquittal of a prominent Russian historian and civil rights activist on child pornography charges, sending the high-profile case back for a retrial.
Yury Dmitriev exposed mass killings carried out during Stalin’s era, but found himself at odds with the Kremlin narrative that Russia must not be ashamed of its past. He was cleared of the first round of child pornography charges in April by a court in the northwestern region, where Dmitriev heads Memorial, an independent NGO that investigates Soviet-era crimes.
The Karelia region’s supreme court annulled Dmitriev’s acquittal, which was originally handed down by a lower court, his lawyer Viktor Anufriyev told the 7x7 news website Thursday.
Anufriyev said Dmitriev's adopted daughter was pressured into telling psychiatrists she was upset, after which her grandmother appealed the not-guilty verdict. Experts in the original trial found that naked pictures of the child, which Dmitriev said were taken to monitor her health, were not pornographic in nature.
During his first trial, human rights groups said the charges against Dmitriev were politically motivated for his historical work.
Anufriyev told Agence France Presse that the Karelia supreme court’s decision was “unlawful and not based on criminal legislation.”
“[Dmitriev] takes this decision philosophically, he has experienced life and has seen even worse,” the lawyer was quoted as saying.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
