Moscow court rules to liquidate Sakharov Center, one of Russia’s oldest human rights groups

A Moscow judge has granted a request from the Russian Justice Ministry to dissolve Sakharov Center, one of the country’s oldest human rights organizations.

The Justice Ministry's Moscow branch submitted the request in July.

Sakharov Center was founded by Elena Bonner, a human rights activist and the wife of dissident physicist Andrey Sakharov. Its mission is to educate the public about human rights and preserve Sakharov’s legacy. In January 2023, Moscow’s municipal authorities evicted the organization from its premises, citing its designation as a “foreign agent.”