Topline
Russia on Friday said it was shutting down the local offices of 15 foreign non-profit organizations— including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch— for violating Russian laws as the country continues to deny allegations of war crimes in its invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Police officers detain a man during a protest against the war in Ukraine.
Key Facts
Russia’s Justice Ministry Friday said it was revoking the registration of the 15 groups, effectively shutting down their activities in the country, “due to the discovery of violations of the current legislation of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said, though it did not list any specific violations, according to Reuters.
Amnesty International— which has accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine —said in a statement it was “only the latest in a long list of organizations that have been punished for defending human rights” and “speaking the truth to the Russian authorities.”
The organization said it “must be doing something right” if the Kremlin tries to “shut you up.”
Other targeted organizations included the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Institute of International Education, according to Reuters.
Crucial Quote
“We will continue to defend independent journalism’s ability to report actual facts, free of the Russian government’s intervention. We will continue to work relentlessly to ensure that all those who are responsible for committing grave human rights violations, whether in Russia, Ukraine or Syria, face justice. Put simply, we will never give up,” Amnesty International said.
Key Background
The move comes as international organizations and leaders— including President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen— condemn a Russian missile strike at a railway station in eastern Ukraine on Friday that left at least 50 dead as well as a massacre in a northwest suburb of Kyiv last week where the bodies of 410 civilians were discovered after Russian troops withdrew. Both Amnesty International, an international nonprofit organization focused on human rights, as well as Human Rights Watch, have accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Since the start of the war, Russia has ramped up efforts to clamp down on free speech in the country, including with a move last month to block access to major foreign news outlets and to punish anyone spreading “false information” about the war with up to 15 years in prison.
Further Reading
Russia revokes registration of Amnesty and Human Rights Watch (Reuters)
Death Toll Rises To At Least 50 After Russia Strikes Train Station In Eastern Ukraine, Official Says (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/madelinehalpert/2022/04/08/russia-closes-amnesty-international-and-other-human-rights-organizations-offices/