UN warns Russia against closing top rights group

MOSCOW: A UN official on Thursday warned that Russia would show "flagrant disregard" of the United Nations’ values if it moved ahead with plans to shutter the country’s top rights group Memorial.

Last week prosecutors moved to dissolve the group over alleged systematic violations of the constitution and "foreign agent" legislation, as well as purported justification of "terrorism and extremism".

The pressure on Memorial comes amid an unprecedented crackdown on the opposition and independent groups, after authorities imprisoned Russia’s top opposition politician Alexei Navalny earlier this year.

"I hope that the authorities will not go so far as to disband, as this would show a flagrant disregard for UN values," said Mary Lawlor, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.