Russia Bars Human Rights Watch, Escalates Crackdown on Critics

Russia Bars Human Rights Watch, Escalates Crackdown on Critics
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Russian authorities have declared Human Rights Watch (HRW) an “undesirable organisation,” effectively criminalising any cooperation with the group under a 2015 law, Al Jazeera reported. This move mandates HRW to cease all operations in Russia, and exposes individuals or entities that support it to potential prosecution.

HRW has long criticized Russia for suppressing dissent and alleged war crimes during its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In response to the ban, HRW’s executive director Philippe Bolopion stated that while the organisation’s mission remains unchanged, Russia’s turn toward authoritarianism and the widening scope of wartime abuses necessitates continued scrutiny.

Russia currently lists over 275 organisations as “undesirable,” including major independent media outlets, think tanks, and rights and environmental groups. In a related development, the communications regulator Roskomnadzor has threatened to block WhatsApp nationwide if it does not comply with Russian data-sharing requirements, raising concerns over restrictions on secure communication platforms.