The Russian court closed down the country’s oldest human rights organization
Moscow (AP) – A Moscow court decided Wednesday to shut down Russia’s oldest human rights organization, the latest move in a months-long crackdown on independent media, human rights groups and opposition activists.
Moscow (AP) – A Moscow court decided Wednesday to shut down Russia’s oldest human rights organization, the latest move in a months-long crackdown on independent media, human rights groups and opposition activists.
The Moscow City Court accepted the Russian Ministry of Justice’s application to close the Moscow Helsinki Group. The ministry has accused the organization of violating its legal registration in Moscow while working on human rights cases outside the Russian capital, allegations the group dismissed as “petty and absurd.”
Moscow’s Helsinki Group was founded in 1976 and demanded the freedom of political prisoners and the strengthening of democratic rights.
One of the founders of the group was Lyudmila Alekseeva, a human rights pioneer and dissident who has been challenging the Soviet and Russian regimes for decades. In 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited her on her 90th birthday to personally congratulate her and thank her for her work. He died in 2018.
In December 2021, Russian authorities shut down another prominent Soviet-era human rights group, Memorial. The group said it will find ways to continue operating regardless.
In recent years, several Russian human rights organizations and legal aid organizations have moved to operate as unofficial entities to avoid the impact of restrictive laws.
Over the past two years, the Kremlin has launched a sweeping crackdown on human rights groups, independent media and opposition activists, cracking down on any sign of dissent.
Points are labeled as “foreign agents”, which implies additional government surveillance and carries strong negative connotations. Some groups and media were declared “undesirable” – a label that bans organizations in Russia. Several vocal critics of the Kremlin have been jailed, and dozens have left the country fearing persecution.
Associated Press