The International Roerichs’ Heritage Preservation Committee expresses its strong protest against the violent and destructive actions of a number of law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the State Museum of Oriental Art, that took place on 7-8 March 2017 under false pretenses, for the purpose of seizing property – the Roerichs’ heritage – from the International non-governmental organization "International Centre of the Roerichs" (ICR) established on the initiative of the outstanding artist, scientist, philosopher and public figure, the citizen of India, Svetoslav Roerich.

We urge the President and the Government of the Russian Federation, Russian National Committee of the International Council of Museum (ICOM) and all representatives of public authorities to protect our rights pursuant to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to prosecute those responsible for the seizure of the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich of the International Centre of the Roerichs and for the violation of rights and freedoms of the staff of our non-governmental organization.

A number of recent events connected with the International Centre of the Roerichs (ICR) and its Museum named after Nicholas Roerich should receive attention of the community as they present an issue of great concern.

A week has passed since the International Center of the Roerichs (ICR) was searched. About 200 exhibits were taken from the museum. The siloviki* made a real pogrom in the ICR.

On March 20, 2017 the Arbitration Court of Moscow upheld a lawsuit of the State Museum of Oriental Art supported by Federal Agency for State Property Management (Rosimuschestvo) claiming avoidance of the gratuitous lease contracts and eviction of the International Centre of the Roerichs from the Lopoukhins’ Estate.

Valery Shiryaev strongly disagree with the statement that the banker Bulochnik’s ‘laundering activity’ served as the only cause for searches, and he offers his perspective on the situation.

The International Centre of the Roerichs (ICR) will appeal in court against the search procedures in its Museum and the withdrawal of works of art, the vice-president of the ICR Alexander Stetsenko informed Interfax.