Today’s decision by Russia’s supreme court to dissolve the non-governmental organisation Memorial is more than incomprehensible and contravenes international obligations to protect fundamental civil rights, which Russia, too, has entered into. As part of an international network, Memorial makes an indispensable contribution to researching, documenting and preventing serious human rights violations and is thus also an expression of our common European identity, which requires us to clearly name and address violations of human rights. Justified criticism from organisations such as Memorial should be listened to. This decision is cause for great concern for us not least because it deprives the victims of oppression and repression of their voice.