Russia has declared Human Rights Watch an "undesirable" organization and banned its activities in the country; earlier, its website was blocked due to information about the war in Ukraine. At the same time, several public figures, journalists, and publications were added to the register of "foreign agents." This is reported by UNN with reference to DW, Associated Press (AP).
Details
On Friday, November 28, Russian authorities outlawed Human Rights Watch, classifying it as an "undesirable organization."
According to the 2015 law, participation in such organizations is a criminal offense
This means that the international human rights group must cease all its activities in Russia, and those who cooperate with or support the organization may be prosecuted.
For over three decades, Human Rights Watch's work in post-Soviet Russia has aimed to hold the government accountable for human rights and freedoms. Our work has not changed, but what has radically changed is the government's boundless pursuit of dictatorial policies, the striking increase in repression, and the scale of war crimes committed by its forces in Ukraine.
In addition, on Friday, authorities announced the initiation of a case against the Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot, which they plan to declare an extremist organization.
Earlier, the Russian Supreme Court recognized the Anti-Corruption Foundation, created by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as a terrorist organization, including its US-registered structure, which continued its activities after the original foundation was declared an "undesirable organization" in 2021.
This is the political strategy of the Russian authorities: to declare anyone who interferes with their embezzlement and endless war an enemy of the state
According to the Associated Press, there are currently over 275 institutions on Russia's list of "undesirable organizations," including well-known independent news agencies and human rights organizations. Among them are prominent media outlets such as "Radio Svoboda," think tanks like Chatham House, the anti-corruption organization Transparency International, and the environmental organization WWF.
For reference
Founded in 1978, Human Rights Watch monitors and investigates human rights violations worldwide. The organization openly opposes Russia's invasion of Ukraine and recently published an investigation into the use of drones by Russian forces to deliberately target, injure, and kill civilians in the Kherson region of Ukraine.
Recall
The Basmanny Court of Moscow заочно sentenced Pussy Riot members to terms ranging from eight to 13 years in a penal colony. They were accused of spreading "military fakes" and "actions against the authorities," particularly through a music video and an action in Munich.
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