Hitler, Himmler photos in Immortal Regiment action prompt criminal case
MOSCOW. May 14 (Interfax) - The Russian Investigative Committee is looking for the Internet users who passed leaders of Nazi Germany off for Soviet soldiers in Immortal Regiment photos, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said.
"The Investigative Committee has uncovered photos of Nazi criminals published on the websites of the Immortal Regiment online movement during the virtual campaign aimed at preserving and immortalizing the memory of the WWII generation and the soldiers who fought Nazi Germany," Petrenko told Interfax on Thursday.
According to investigators, unknown persons published "a photo of SS Reichsfuhrer Himmler" on the Internet no later than May 10. In the opinion of the Investigative Committee, this was done "to show approval of the Nazi crimes established by the international military tribunal in Nuremberg." "The commentary to the photo said that it featured Col. V.M. Alexeyev," Petrenko said.
In addition, unknown persons posted a file with a photo of Hitler on the "Memory Databank" website no later than May 3. The commentary said the photo depicted a WWII fighter "Hitle Adol Aloiso."
"Given these facts, criminal cases have been opened under Part 1 Article 354.1 of the Russian Criminal Code: rehabilitation of Nazism or approval of crimes established in the judgment of the Nuremberg Military Tribunal," Petrenko said.
Investigators are taking relevant measures to establish the culprits behind these crimes, she said, adding that their actions will be given proper legal assessment.
"Actions of this kind seek to show approval of the crimes committed by the Nazi regime, which were established in the judgment of the international military tribunal in Nuremberg," Petrenko said.