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Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union

Submitted on 2020-12-17 15:26:43

Statement of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on 75 Years since the Opening of the Nuremberg Trial of Major War Criminals

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The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation draws attention once again to the importance of historical lessons drawn from the tragic events massive spread of Nazism ideology resulted in; notes that the victory of the anti-Hitler coalition in the Second World War enabled the establishment of an international security system meant to save future generations from wars; acknowledges the progress achieved after the Second World War in international universal and regional cooperation, especially within the UN; emphasises that states must implement UN Security Council Resolutions on maintaining international peace and security; and deems necessary to declare the following.

In 2020 the whole world celebrates 75 years since the International Military Tribunal proceedings commenced in Nuremberg to prosecute and punish major war criminals of the European Axis countries (hereinafter referred to as the Nuremberg Tribunal), marking the final destruction of Fascism in legal terms and playing an essential role in the development of international law.

The Nuremberg Tribunal jurisdiction included crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity committed against civilians.

Principles of international law acknowledged by the Nuremberg Charter and translated into the Tribunal’s decision influenced the development of many branches of international law and national criminal legislation. These principles remain relevant today.

Attempts to rewrite history, distort and revise the results of the Second World War, including those enshrined in the verdict of the Nuremberg Tribunal, are inacceptable, as are any distortions of historical truth about the events of that time insulting the memory of the demised and those who endured the atrocities of war.

Members of the State Duma consider it inadmissible to glorify in any form the Nazi movement, neo-Nazism or former members of the Waffen-SS organisation, including by erecting monuments and memorials, holding public rallies to praise Nazi past, Nazi movement or neo-Nazism, declaring or trying to declare members of this organisation and those who fought against the anti-Hitler coalition, collaborated with the Nazi movement and committed crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity to have been participants of national liberation movements, as well as renaming streets to glorify Nazism.

The State Duma declares that it is inadmissible to desecrate or destroy monuments erected in honour of soldiers-liberators and turn such actions into state policy.

 

Chairman of the State Duma
of the Russian Federation
Vyacheslav Volodin

 

Moscow
18 November 2020