Human Rights Watch called 2017 a “dark year” for the opposition, sexual minorities and free speech activists in Russia in its report published Thursday.
HRW listed breaches in freedoms of assembly, expression, information and religion throughout 2017. The political opposition in the country has faced an increased crackdown ahead of the March 18 presidential elections, the NGO said.
“Last year was a dark year for independent voices in Russia,” HRW’s Russia program director Tanya Lokshina said in a press release accompanying its World Report 2018.
2017 was marked by the arrests of young protesters during mass gatherings, the disqualification of opposition leader Alexei Navalny from the presidential campaign and acts of vandalism against his supporters.
Also last year, the Russian government passed legislation blacklisting media financed from abroad as “foreign agents” and expanded the list of banned “undesirable organizations” to 11 groups.
Russia ranked “Not Free” in a 2018 U.S. government-funded Freedom House NGO report released this week. Gay people faced considerable discrimination, the Jehovah’s Witnesses were declared an extremist organization, and a leading liberal university lost its license, Freedom House noted.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
