The Russian Prosecutor’s Office Will Revoke the Rehabilitation of Some Victims of Soviet Political Repression

Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov has prepared an order to review the rehabilitation of victims of Soviet repression, whom the modern Russian state now views as “traitors to the Motherland,” guilty of serious and especially serious crimes, “war criminals,” and “Nazi collaborators.” The draft order has been published on the official website of legal acts.

How exactly the Russian authorities will assess the “guilt” of each repressed individual is not specified.

Documents revoking the rehabilitation of former camp prisoners or those executed during Soviet times will be handed over to state authorities to ensure that “Nazi collaborators and traitors to the Motherland are not justified,” according to the draft.

Decisions to reconsider the rehabilitation of foreign political prisoners will be passed on to the governments of other countries through the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The media will be required to report on the revocation of the rehabilitation of victims of political repression, referencing Article 67, part 3 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees the protection of “historical truth.” This article was added to the Constitution in 2020 as part of the package of amendments, including the “resetting” of Vladimir Putin’s presidential terms.

Prosecutor General Krasnov referred to the review of the status of victims of political repression as “organizational and staffing measures” prompted by changes in the State Policy Concept for Commemorating Victims of Political Repression.

The Russian government altered the concept regarding victims of political repression on June 20, 2024. The updated version removed mentions of the “mass” nature of Soviet repression, the need to memorialize the victims, repression against religious groups and “class enemies” of the Soviet regime, forced collectivization and artificially created famines, the millions of Gulag prisoners and deported peoples, the recognition of the repressions as unlawful, the Novocherkassk massacre, and repression against World War II soldiers who were captured by the Nazis, among other topics.

As a result, the current concept provides no clarity on who was repressed, when, or by whom in the USSR, notes Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg deputy Boris Vishnevsky.

• Several years ago IStories told how “children of the Gulag” are still trying to return home from forced exile, but the state, which took away their parents, childhood and home, makes them wait decades for the promised housing.