Russian human rights activist Nina Litvinova has committed suicide due to Russia’s war against Ukraine

Russian human rights advocate and member of the Soviet-era dissident movement Nina Litvinova has committed suicide due to Russia’s war against Ukraine, a journalist, Masha Slonim, reported.

Nina Litvinova Source: Facebook / Daryna Kornylova

During the Soviet era, she joined the dissident movement, which included attending open trials of political prisoners. Similarly, she attended court hearings in modern-day Russia both before and after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Among others, she attended the trial of historian Yuri Dmitriev. Dmitriev personally discovered the mass graves of execution victims in Sandarmokh, where NKVD officers murdered over a thousand representatives of the Ukrainian cultural elite in the 1930s. Together with colleagues, the historian identified numerous names and details of those involved. However, he was tried on fabricated charges of producing child pornography involving his daughter.

The news of Litvinova’s death was reported yesterday by Russian propaganda media. Their reports mentioned a suicide note left by the advocate but declined to quote it. Instead, a fragment of the letter was published by her cousin, the journalist Masha Slonim: in the message, the woman lists the names of modern Russian political prisoners whose trials she attended and states that she no longer has the strength to endure the war against Ukraine and the ongoing repressions.

“Since Putin attacked Ukraine and began killing innocent people, while here, he endlessly imprisons thousands who suffer and perish there simply because they, like me, are against the war and against murder… I tried to help them, but my strength has run out, and day and night, I suffer from this helplessness. I am ashamed, but I have given up. Please forgive me,” Litvinova wrote.

Colleagues of Litvinova from the “Memorial” Human Rights Center also commented on her death. They noted that Litvinova “embodied a humble yet unbreakable courage and nobility, always present where the pain was greatest,” and added that the best way to honor her memory would be to continue her work.

To provide background, analysts believe that the legislative changes occurring in Russia over the last few years are preparations for establishing a system of even greater repression, which is also being extended to the occupied territories of Ukraine.

ZMINA Human Rights Centre extends deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Nina Litvinova.