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The Russian government is ‘destroying civil society day by day’ – Global issues

Against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine, Mary Lawlor also called on the administration to repeal “restrictive and discriminatory laws”, echoing her and other experts’ calls made last month. 7, against Russia’s ‘closed civil society’.

“I… continue to be concerned about the use of criminal provisions introduced shortly after the invasion of Ukraine to target critical voices. Under the ‘fake war news’ law, 114 people have been prosecuted since it was passed on March 4, 2022,” she said in a statement.

Laws against defenders

Ms Lawlor added that it was “deeply alarming” that authorities had introduced further punitive laws targeting human rights defenders which had had “a stifling effect on civil society”. the”.

She further explained that on July 14, the Russian Parliament passed amendments to the penal code that introduced prison sentences of up to eight years for those found guilty of “covert cooperation” with a foreign state, international or foreign organization.

“Cooperation ‘is said to be punishable only if its purpose is to support ‘willful activities against state security’. In practice, however, there is no guarantee that human rights work will not be seen as a threat to state security,” she stressed, adding that the law itself criminalizes it extensively. “the public appeal to activities against state security”.

Pressure on foreign organizations

The UN special rapporteur also expressed concern about expanding the law to target “foreign agents” and “undesirable organisations”, which, she said, the Government had been using for years, to restricting, stigmatizing and discriminating against human rights defenders.

Since 2015, 65 foreign and international NGOs have been declared “unwanted” and banned in Russia without any court challenge.

“Some of them already have human rights and human rights programs. Those who continue to participate in these organizations, sponsor or organize their activities risk up to six years in prison,” she noted.

Ms Lawlor added that 276 people, many of them human rights defenders and promoters, currently have multiple registrations of ‘foreign agents’ restricting their activities and a related new law that takes effect on Jan. December 1, will allow the authorities to expand the regulations.

“Russian human rights defenders have told me how this discriminatory label scares some of their partners and even those they defend their rights with. The new vague and broad provisions of the law further disadvantage the human rights community, which is completely unacceptable,” she warned.

‘Silent Voice’

The independent expert noted “with regret” that the Russian government “continues with large-scale efforts to silence critical voices and dismantle civil society”.

She mentioned 16,400 detentions made in connection with anti-war protests, restrictions imposed on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and 138,000 websites blocked, since the invasion of Ukraine.

“The work of most independent media outlets continues to be suspended or shut down,” she stressed, citing the revocation of the printing license of Novaya Gazeta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a member of the public. one of Russia’s oldest media outlets on human rights issues, as well as other investigative work.

Ms. Lawlor called on the international community to support human rights defenders in Russia and those living in exile.

“The Russian government is destroying civil society day by day, and if the world does not help Russian human rights defenders, they will face human rights consequences for decades to come,” she concluded.

United Nations special rapporteurs appointed by the United Nations Dong Nhan Quyen Associationbased in Geneva, to report on country-specific situations or topical issues.

These independent professionals operate in their own capacity and are not employees of the United Nations, nor are they paid for their work.

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