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Russian Authorities Move to Shut Down a Human Rights Giant

Joint statement by Russian and international human rights groups in support of Memorial

Russian authorities’ move to shut down Memorial, one of Russia’s oldest and most prominent civil society organizations standing up for human rights, working to commemorate victims of Soviet repression, and providing a platform for free debate and artistic…
On the night before the infamous “foreign agents” law came into force back in 2012, unknown individuals sprayed graffiti reading, “Foreign Agent! ♥ USA” on the buildings hosting the offices of three prominent NGOs in Moscow, including Memorial. 
News

Joint Statement on the Expulsion of Vanessa Kogan from Russia

On 2 December 2020, Russian immigration authorities revoked the residence permit of our colleague, human rights lawyer and director of Justice Initiative Project, Vanessa Kogan. The revocation was made on the spurious grounds that Kogan “poses a threat to…
News

Drop Charges Against Russian Theater Director Kirill Serebrennikov

On Friday, June 26, Moscow’s Meshchansky District Court is expected to deliver the verdict in the criminal embezzlement case against Kirill Serebrennikov, a prominent theater director in Russia, and his co-defendants, Sofia Apfelbaum, Alexei…
News

Russia: “Foreign Agents” Bill Threatens Journalists

Amendment Would Extend Restrictions to Individuals, Including Bloggers

Update: On December 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law, which expands the status of “foreign agents” to private persons. Update: On November 25, the upper chamber of Russia’s parliament endorsed the law, which…
An interior view of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in Moscow, Russia, January 20, 2017.
News

Joint Statement on Russia's "Sovereign Internet Bill"

Human Rights Watch, together with 9 human rights, media and Internet freedom organisations, calls on Russian President Vladmir Putin, not to sign the so-called “Sovereign Internet Bill” as it will lead to further limitations of already restricted Internet…
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Human Rights Violations in Russia’s North Caucasus

Statement prepared by Tanya Lokshina, Russia Program Director at Human Rights Watch for the January 28, 2016 meeting of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Esteemed Chairperson, Esteemed Members of the Committee, Human Rights Watch has been documenting human rights abuses in Russia’s turbulent North Caucasus region for close to two decades. In recent years, our work in the region has been largely…
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Russia: Internet Legislation Merits Greater Scrutiny Before Passage

On July 11, the Russian State Duma adopted a bill limiting freedom of information on the Internet. The day before the bill's adoption, Global Network Initiative (GNI), of which Human Rights Watch is a founding member, expressed its concern over this…
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Statement on sports and human rights at the UN Human Rights Council

Oral statement at the panel on sporting events

We welcome the convening of this panel discussion on how major sporting events can contribute to human rights. Human Rights Watch has long taken the position that there cannot be successful sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, in an environment…
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Global Internet Freedom: Corporate Responsibility and the Rule of Law

Testimony to the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law

Written Testimony of Arvind Ganesan Director, Business and Human Rights Program, Human Rights Watch Mr. Chairman: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the important matter of global internet freedom. I would also like to thank Senator Coburn, the…
News

Freedom of Expression, Free Media and Human Rights Defenders

On the Occasion of the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Warsaw

Freedom of expression, and media freedoms in particular, are in danger in many OSCE participating states. In too many countries, severe restrictions and abuse afflict brave journalists whose writings focus on sensitive…
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Fact Sheet: Past U.S. Criticism of Military Tribunals

(Washington, DC) - Under President Bush's November 13th Military Order on military commissions, any foreign national designated by the President as a suspected terrorist or as aiding terrorists could potentially be detained, tried, convicted and even…

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