07.12.2018, Moscow.
The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation upheld a decision by the Moscow City Court, which denied an appeal by a group of Russian citizens who demanded that the Moscow City Council’s decision to erect a monument to Solzhenitsyn be overturned, a correspondent of the Rossa Primavera News Agency reported on December 5.
“At the appeal hearing, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation decided to uphold the Moscow City Court’s decision regarding the demand by a group of Russian citizens to overturn the Moscow City Council’s decision from September 2017 to include a monument to Solzhenitsyn on the list of monuments approved for erection in Moscow,” the claimants’ counsel Oleg Barsukov said.
“We believe that this decision is wrongful, I would even say illegitimate. It is beyond any logic, common sense, the spirit, and even the normally understood letter of the law. One could make assumptions why the judges made this decision, but this is the fact of the matter today. The decision in its final form will clarify the court’s considerations. Meanwhile, we will keep trying to reach out to the state, including by way of the judiciary,” claimant Igor Kudryashov said.
Court hearings on the lawsuit have been taking place since May 2018. The lawsuit was filed against the Moscow City Council regarding its decision to include the monument to Solzhenitsyn on the list of those approved for erection in Moscow. Now, an appeal hearing on the Moscow City Court’s decision has taken place.
A lawsuit was filed against the Administration and the Mayor of Moscow demanding to recognize their orders to erect a monument to Solzhenitsyn as illegal. The first-instance court dismissed the claims. The two lawsuits are taking place in parallel.
Also, a claim has been filed to the Prosecutor’s Office against Moscow City Council member Milyavsky, who said at a Moscow City Council session that the USSR had a fascist regime. The claimants seek for the court to bring City Council member Milyavsky to justice for the felony offenses of extremism and rehabilitation of Nazism.
Editorial comment
The decision to erect a monument to Solzhenitsyn was apparently made at the top level of the Russian authorities, and it is difficult to counter it. Nevertheless, we have to “do what we must, and come what may.”
There is nothing worse than avoiding struggle when struggle is necessary. As we know, water wears away the stone. Sooner or later, Solzhenitsyn will be exposed to the people in all his indecency, and rightfully condemned to oblivion.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
