UK condemns Russia's "chilling" closure of rights group Memorial

LONDON - British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Wednesday she was deeply concerned by the liquidation of the Russian human rights group Memorial, saying its closure was another "chilling blow to freedom of expression in Russia".

Russia's Memorial Human Rights Centre was ordered to shut by a Moscow court on Wednesday, a day after its sister organisation - Russia's oldest human rights group - was forced to close.

"Deeply concerned by liquidation of Russian human rights group Memorial by Russian courts," Truss said on Twitter.

"Memorial has worked tirelessly for decades to ensure abuses of Soviet era are never forgotten. Its closure is another chilling blow to freedom of expression in Russia."