Human rights activist Oleg Orlov refused to defend himself in court and call defense witnesses, so as not to harm them because of his status of “foreign”

The co -founder of the Memorial Oleg Orlov refused to defend himself during the court, saying that he did not understand the essence of the charges against him. According to the New Gazeta, the human rights activist also forbade his lawyers to call witnesses of defense, because, being recognized as the Ministry of Justice of the Ino -Agent, he does not want to expose them to the risk of falling into the same register.

In addition, Orlov, included in the list of “foreign agents” on February 2, before the start of the process, called this decision an attempt to pressure on the court. The human rights activist also refused to participate in the interrogations of witnesses of the prosecution and the debate.

Oleg Orlov is judged under the article on the "re -discrediting of the army." According to the indictment, the human rights activist was guided by the motives of "ideological enmity against traditional Russian spiritual, moral and patriotic values" and hatred in relation to military personnel. Orlov, in turn, said that "it expressed precisely the evaluative opinion about how terribly the war on the development of the political regime in the country is affected."

The human rights activist is judged for an article in the French magazine Mediapart "They wanted fascism - they received it." In November, he was already fined for 150 thousand rubles for the "re -discrediting of the army." Later, the prosecution was tightened, adding the motives of "enmity and hatred of the military."