Lubyanka is not up to the commemoration now – Newspaper Kommersant No. 198 (7399) of 10/25/2022

The city authorities refused to agree on a rally in memory of the victims of political repression at the Solovetsky stone on the Lubyanka on October 29. The participants in this action, which human rights activists from Memorial (recognized as a foreign agent, and International Memorial liquidated by the court) have been holding on this day for 15 years, read out the names of repressed citizens in turn. The capital’s mayor’s office referred to the ban on public events in the city due to the coronavirus pandemic. Memorial plans to limit itself to laying flowers on Lubyanka and online readings.

Alexandra Polivanova, a representative of the Moscow “Memorial”, submitted a notification about the action for 900 participants at the Solovetsky Stone on the Lubyanka to the capital’s mayor’s office. According to her, this year human rights activists decided to do it on behalf of individuals, not organizations, believing that it would be “easier to negotiate” with the authorities. “I indicated in the application that my great-grandfather was shot,” Ms. Polivanova explained. The fact is that the “International Memorial” (previously recognized by a foreign agent) in December 2021 was liquidated by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. In October 2022, the premises of Memorial on Karetny Ryad in the center of the capital was drawn to the state revenue by the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow.

Alexandra Polivanova told Kommersant that the application was originally submitted to several departments, including the prefecture of the Central Administrative District (TsAO) of Moscow, but from there they were sent to the mayor’s office. “The prefecture explained that since it is planned to express political positions at the event, this should be coordinated not in the mode of a cultural and educational action, but as a rally. That is, go to the city hall, ”she explained.

From the Moscow Department of Regional Security and Anti-Corruption to Alexandra Polivanova October 21 came the answer signed by the first deputy head of the department, Vasily Oleinik (Kommersant has a copy). The document confirms that the planned action “Return of names” at the Solovetsky stone is a public event, and therefore must be coordinated in accordance with the federal law on meetings, rallies and processions. At the same time, Mr. Oleinik also referred to Decree No. 68 of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (dated June 8, 2020), establishing a ban on holding public events in Moscow. Such a ban was established “taking into account the evolving epidemiological situation,” explained Vasily Oleinik, the ban on approval. It should be noted that on September 30, 2022, in the center of Moscow, a multi-thousand-strong action “We don’t leave our own” took place. It was not possible to receive additional comments to the document in the mayor’s office.

This is not the first time that Memorial has had problems with agreeing on the Return of Names. For example, in October 2018, the prefecture of the Central Administrative District gave permission first to hold the rally, then withdrew it due to construction work on Lubyanka Square, but after consultations with human rights activists, she nevertheless agreed on the event. In 2020, “due to the epidemiological situation,” Memorial decided to hold an online campaign.

Alexandra Polivanova told Kommersant that human rights activists came up with the same option in Moscow after the refusal to agree on the current action.

“We think it is important to continue it. On the one hand, despite, and on the other hand, despite what is happening, it seems important to talk about the value of human life,” added the representative of Memorial.

She promised that on October 29, human rights activists would lay flowers at the Solovetsky stone, and they were going to read the names of the repressed Soviet citizens on the event’s website. The “Memorial” also offers during the week “to bring flowers to all the monuments to the victims of terror, to read or remember the names of those who died and suffered from the Soviet regime.” The document, signed by Vasily Oleinik, says: if the organizers decide to hold the action, they and the participants of the event can be brought to “responsibility in the prescribed manner.”

Alexander Voronov