Contents tagged with human rights

  • Nikolai Svanidze: The situation for Crimean Tatars is 'terrifying'

    A member of the Council of the President of the Russian Federation on the issues of the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, Nikolay Svanidze, said that "the situation with the Crimean Tatars is terrifying”, as reported by Krim.Realii. He said this during the program "Minority Report" on the Ekho Moskvii radio station, which was broadcast on February 12th.

    According to him, it's necessary to respond to the human rights violations in Crimea.

    "We definitely must respond. In the Human …

  • Two Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia transferred from Rostov Detention Center

    Ukrainian film director, Oleg Sentsov, and anti-fascist Ukrainian activist, Olexandr Kolchenko, were transferred from the Rostov Detention Center on the 4th of February. According to available information, Sentsov is in Samara now awaiting transfer to the Irkutsk region, where he will serve his sentence. Kolchenko is in Voronezh awaiting transfer to the Chelyabinsk region.

    Kolchenko’s lawyer, Svetlana Sidorkina, reported that she expects confirmation of the transfer from the Federal Service of …

  • The European Parliament calls on Russia to cease human rights violations in Crimea

    The European Parliament (EP) condemned the "unprecedented level" of violations of the rights of Crimeans, in particular Crimean Tatars, in the annexed pensinsula. Members of the EP supported the relevant resolution at the plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday.

    The EU institution "strongly condemns the unprecedented level of human rights violations”, in particular, “under the pretext of fighting extremism and terrorism carried out against the Crimean people, primarily against the Crimean …

  • Rally against anti-protest legislation held in Moscow

    In Moscow, on the Yauza Gate square, a rally was held to support Ildar Dadina and several other political prisoners. Participants also called for the abolition of the ‘protest’ Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code, the law against participating in unsanctioned protests, as reported by a correspondent for Grani.  The rally was attended by about 400 people.

    The activists held slogans such as: "Anyone who thinks is the enemy," "Putin, bring in your henchmen," "The Constitution should be read to …

  • Russian Court to Consider Extending Natalia Sharina's House Arrest

    The Russian investigative committee is asking the court to extend the house arrest of the Director of the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow, Natalia Sharina, for another three months, her lawyer Ivan Pavlov reported.

    "On January 27th, the Presnensky Court of Moscow will consider the extension of the house arrest of Natalia Sharina. The investigative committee asked the court to extend this period for another three months," Pavlov said. According to him, the court will begin hearings …

  • Russian Justice Ministry defines ‘political activity’ to amend ‘Foreign Agent Law’

    In 2012, the Russian State Duma adopted a law requiring all nongovernmental organizations engaged in political activity that receive funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents” with the Ministry of Justice, a designation that severely hinders an NGO's ability to operate in the Russian Federation. While the law initially provided a vague definition of "political activity", the Ministry of Justice adopted a new amendment on Friday defining it as any work in the sphere of federal or …

  • Intimidation, harassment continue in Crimea

    The UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović, noted that the situation concerning human rights on the Peninsula has not improved.

    In 2015, the human rights situation in the annexed Crimea has not improved - intimidation and harassment continue, Šimonović stated during his speech at the meeting of the UN Security Council.

    "There are no signals that the situation improved in this area in 2015," Šimonović said about the human rights situation in Crimea. According to Š …