Russia Bans Human Rights Foundation Chaired by Yulia Navalnaya as Undesirable
Russia Labels Human Rights Foundation as "Undesirable Organisation"
Background of the Human Rights Foundation and Yulia Navalnaya
LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Russia has designated the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, chaired by Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, as an "undesirable organisation".
Implications of the "Undesirable" Tag
The "undesirable" tag is used by Russian authorities to ban the activities of organisations it deems to pose a threat to the state, and means that any Russians who cooperate with them or share their content can face prosecution.
Russian Prosecutor's Office Statement
In its announcement, the Russian prosecutor's office noted that HRF had designated Russia as a "fully authoritarian regime" in its "Tyranny Tracker" project.
Allegations Against HRF
It said HRF was engaged in discrediting the Russian armed forces — which was made a criminal offence after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — as well as promoting anti-Russian sanctions and supporting other undesirable organisations.
Response from the Human Rights Foundation
Statement by HRF Chief Legal and Policy Officer
HRF Chief Legal and Policy Officer Javier El-Hage responded: "We couldn't have said it better ourselves. By criminalising our organization — even threatening with imprisonment those who collaborate with us — for having a research project that documents how (President Vladimir) Putin’s dictatorship is a ‘fully authoritarian regime,’ the Kremlin does nothing but confirm our assessment."
Context: Russia's History of Banning Organisations
Previous Organisations Labeled as Undesirable
Since 2015, Russia has placed hundreds of organisations on its "undesirable" list, including rights groups such as Amnesty International, Russian and Western media outlets, and universities including Yale and Stanford.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kate Mayberry)