Sakharov Center

In 1994, the Public Commission opened the Sakharov Archives{{Cite book|title = Russian and East European Books and Manuscripts in the United States|last = Chebotarev|first = Tanya|publisher = Routledge|year = 2014|isbn = 978-0789024053|location = New York|pages = 130}} in the three-room apartment where Andrei Sakharov lived. The contents of the archive were donated by Yelena Bonner, and include files donated by Russia's Federal Counterintelligence Service.{{Cite news|title = Soviet Dissident Sakharov's Widow Inaugurates Library : Russia: Yelena Bonner opens archives in building where writer lived. Yeltsin, secret police donate files.|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-22-mn-60940-story.html|newspaper = Los Angeles Times|date = 1994-05-22|access-date = 2015-10-09|issn = 0458-3035|language = en|first = RICHARD|last = BOUDREAUX}}

In 1996, the Sakharov Commission opened the Sakharov Museum and multi-functional social center for Peace, Progress and Human Rights (renamed in 2012 as the Sakharov Center).{{Cite web|title = Сахаровский центр|url = http://liveinmsk.ru/places/a-566.html|website = liveinmsk.ru|access-date = 2015-10-09}} The main building of the museum was a two-story manor that housed a library and a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of the dissident movement in the USSR, and to the life and works of Andrei Sakharov.{{Cite web|title = Sakharov Museum Inaugurated {{!}} News|url = http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/sakharov-museum-inaugurated/324154.html|website = The Moscow Times|access-date = 2015-10-09}}{{Cite book|title = The Rough Guide to Moscow|last = Richardson|first = Dan|publisher = Rough Guides; 5 edition|date = February 16, 2009|isbn = 978-1858280615|pages = 174–175}} The exhibition was designed by Evgeny Asse.{{Cite web|title = Сахаровский центр|url = http://cult.mos.ru/places/sakharovskiy-tsentr/|website = cult.mos.ru|access-date = 2015-10-09}} An installation made from a piece of the Berlin Wall stands in the park belonging to the museum.{{Cite web|title = The Fall of the Berlin Wall: 25 Years Later|url = https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall-25-years-later/2512596.html|website = VOA|access-date = 2015-10-09}}

On August 18, 2023, the Sakharov Center was shut down by a Russian court.

The Sakharov Center provided a space for open expression in an increasingly restrictive political climate. In 2003, the Sakharov Center was vandalized after organizing a contemporary art exhibition titled "Caution, Religion!".{{Cite web|title = ‘Orthodox Bulldozer’ {{!}} ARTnews|url = http://www.artnews.com/2004/05/01/orthodox-bulldozer/|website = www.artnews.com|access-date = 2015-09-05}} In 2013, Cossacks stormed the Sakharov Center and interrupted "Moscow Trials," a play based on the trial of Pussy Riot directed by Milo Rau.{{Cite web|title = Russian Officials Hassle Pussy Riot Play Director|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/04/pussy-riot-play-director-hassled-russian-officials-milo-rau_n_2805083.html|website = The Huffington Post|access-date = 2015-09-05}} In 2014, the Center was attacked by Orthodox fundamentalists during events advocating tolerance for the LGBT community.{{Cite web|title = International Coming Out Day event in Moscow besieged by homophobes, ransacked by police for underage teens|url = http://queerussia.info/2014/10/11/7389/#sthash.lzwd0Ptt.dpbs|website = Queer Russia: Live LGBTQ News & Views Feed|access-date = 2015-09-05}} The memorial service for opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was also held in the Sakharov Center.{{Cite news|title = Mourners Pay Their Respects to Slain Kremlin Critic Boris Nemtsov in Moscow|url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/mourners-file-past-coffin-of-slain-kremlin-critic-boris-nemtsov-1425377468|newspaper = Wall Street Journal|access-date = 2015-09-05|issn = 0099-9660|first = Gregory L.|last = White|first2 = Alexander|last2 = Kolyandr}}{{Cite web|title = В Сахаровском центре пройдет прощание с Борисом Немцовым|url = http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1345996/|website = НТВ|access-date = 2015-10-09}}

On December 26, 2014, the Sakharov Center was declared a "foreign agent" under Russia's foreign agent law.{{Cite web|title = Russian Center Honoring Victims of Soviet Regime Branded 'Foreign Agent' {{!}} News|url = http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-center-honoring-victims-of-soviet-repression-branded-foreign-agent/513895.html|access-date = 2015-09-05}} This law has been criticized both in Russia and internationally as representing a violation of human rights and having been designed to counter opposition groups.{{Cite news|title = Putin pushes NGO foreign agent law|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/putin-pushes-ngo-foreign-agent-law/2013/04/15/d9509ec2-a37e-11e2-9c03-6952ff305f35_story.html|newspaper = The Washington Post|date = 2013-04-15|access-date = 2015-10-09|issn = 0190-8286|language = en|first = Kathy|last = Lally}}{{Cite news|title = Russia Introduces Law Limiting Aid for Nonprofits|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/world/europe/russia-introduces-law-limiting-aid-for-nonprofits.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 2012-07-02|access-date = 2015-10-09|issn = 0362-4331|first = Ellen|last = Barry}}{{Cite web|title = Europe - Russian MPs pass controversial bill to label NGOs 'foreign agents'|url = http://www.france24.com/en/20120713-russia-parliament-votes-label-ngos-foreign-agents|website = France 24|access-date = 2015-10-09}} In fact, the court cited the Sakharov Center's political activity as the main reason for designating it as a "foreign agent".{{Cite web|title = Harassed and shunned, the Russians labelled foreign agents by Kremlin|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/26/harassed-and-shunned-the-russians-labelled-foreign-agents-by-kremlin|website = the Guardian|access-date = 2015-09-05|first = Kate|last = Lyons|first2 = Mark|last2 = Rice-Oxley}} In January 2015, the Tagansky District Court fined the Sakharov Center 300,000 rubles for not voluntarily declaring itself a "foreign agent".{{Cite news|title = Russian Court Fines Sakharov Center Under 'Foreign Agent' Law|url = http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-sakharov-center-foreign-agent/26916484.html|newspaper = RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|date = 2015-03-23|access-date = 2015-09-05|language = en}} The Sakharov Center denies this designation and has appealed the decision.{{Cite web|title = Сахаровский центр отказался работать как "иностранный агент"|url = http://slon.ru/fast/russia/sakharovskiy-tsentr-otkazalsya-rabotat-kak-inostrannyy-agent-1200607.xhtml|website = Slon.ru|access-date = 2015-10-09}}{{Cite news|title = Сахаровский центр оштрафован за нарушение закона об НКО|url = http://www.kommersant.ru/Doc/2693058|newspaper = Коммерсантъ|access-date = 2015-10-09|first = Вячеслав|last = Козлов}} On September 30, 2015, the Sakharov Center was fined again for failing to label itself as a foreign agent in an article it posted online.{{Cite news|title = Sakharov Center Fined For Violating 'Foreign Agents' Law|url = http://www.rferl.org/content/article/27279610.html|newspaper = RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|date = 2015-09-30|access-date = 2016-01-18|language = en}}

On March 12, 2022, the Center published a statement about the Russian invasion of Ukraine on its website, which can be translated, in part, as:{{cite web |title=Заявление Правления Сахаровского центра |url=https://www.sakharov-center.ru/article/zayavlenie-pravleniya-sakharovskogo-centra |website=Сахаровский центр |access-date=13 March 2022 |language=ru |date=12 March 2022}}

{{quote|Russian society has allowed itself to be dragged into the funnel of a monstrous crisis. The result was death, destruction and untold suffering in a neighbouring country. What happened means the moral bankruptcy of our society. And with this, regardless of the outcome of events, we will have to live for many years. The way out of this state will require a radical change in the basic attitudes of national identity, if at all it will be possible.}}

On January 24, 2023, Moscow authorities notified the Sakharov Center that all rental agreements with the human rights museum and cultural center were terminated, having been designated under the Russian foreign agent law, evicting the museum.{{cite web |title=Moscow’s Sakharov Centre evicted from all premises due to ‘foreign agent’ label |url=https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/01/26/moscows-sakharov-centre-evicted-from-all-premises-due-to-foreign-agent-label-en-news |access-date=26 January 2023}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Sakharov Center}}

• [http://www.sakharov-center.ru/ Official site of Sakharov Center]

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Category:1996 establishments in Russia

Category:2023 disestablishments in Russia

Category:Human rights organizations based in Russia

Category:Museums established in 1996

Category:Museums disestablished in 2023

Category:Museums in Moscow

Category:Non-profit organizations listed in Russia as foreign agents

Category:Organizations based in Moscow

Category:Organizations disestablished in 2023

Category:Organizations established in 1996