[lbo-talk] Gorbachev calls for rehabilitating royal family as victims of political reprisal

Chris Doss itschris13 at hotmail.com
Sun Dec 14 04:35:41 PST 2003


Gorbachev calls for rehabilitating royal family as victims of political reprisal MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Former president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev believes that Russia's last emperor, Nicholas II, and his family, who were executed under a decision from the Soviet authorities, should be rehabilitated as soon as possible.

"I think we should do this now, when Russia marks the 10th anniversary of its constitution and the world marks the 55th anniversary of signing the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This would be a highly moral act in full compliance with our legislation," he told Interfax on Thursday.

The Archiepiscopal Assembly of the Russian Orthodox Church canonized the royal family in August 2000 and made them new martyrs and confessors, Gorbachev said.

"That decision was couched in words so sincere and kind that nobody, be he or she religious or not, could remain indifferent," he said.

There are good legal reasons to rehabilitate Nicholas II and his family, Gorbachev said.

"They were executed at a time when the Soviet authorities had ruled that courts could not pronounce death sentences. Following his abdication, Nicholas II was not facing any charges. Furthermore, when they looked into the circumstances of the death of the royal family, our agencies, in particular the Prosecutor General's Office, described what the Soviet authorities had done as political reprisal," he said.

"Much has been done towards rehabilitating the royal family and the commission reporting to the Russian president on the rehabilitation of victims of political reprisal has submitted proposals to him," Gorbachev said.

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