UN Special Rapporteurs in Geneva have condemned what they describe as a systematic strategy by Russian authorities to suppress dissent, human rights advocacy, and anti-war expression under the pretext of national security. They warned that since the start of the war against Ukraine in 2022, Russia has intensified measures aimed at dismantling independent civil society and restricting fundamental freedoms.
According to the UN experts, authorities have increasingly used legal tools such as “foreign agent” and “undesirable organisation” designations, along with national security, extremism, and counter-terrorism laws, to target lawyers, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders. They noted that these measures have expanded to criminalise association with designated groups and even peaceful human rights activity.
The statement highlighted large-scale repression figures, including hundreds of organisations labelled as “undesirable,” over a thousand individuals and entities designated as “foreign agents,” and tens of thousands placed on “terrorist and extremist” lists. The experts said this reflects a broader pattern of shrinking civic space and growing legal pressure on civil society actors.
The UN experts also pointed to recent high-profile cases, including efforts to designate the International Memorial Movement as an “extremist organisation,” and the imprisonment of youth activists from the group Vesna for alleged extremist activity linked to anti-war expression. They said these actions illustrate an escalating crackdown on organisations and individuals opposing the war in Ukraine.
Further examples include the targeting of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and the Anti-War Committee of Russia, both designated as extremist or terrorist organisations, with public support for these groups now criminalised. Indigenous rights defenders and minority organisations have also been affected, with several networks labelled as extremist or terrorist and their members facing prosecution and detention.
The experts expressed concern over arbitrary arrests and prosecutions of activists connected to Indigenous advocacy networks, including cases involving individuals allegedly charged for participation in so-called terrorist organisations. They said these actions demonstrate reprisals against peaceful human rights work and engagement with international bodies.
The UN Special Rapporteurs strongly condemned the use of counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legislation to criminalise peaceful expression and dismantle civil society. They called on Russian authorities to immediately halt proceedings against human rights defenders, release those arbitrarily detained, and end what they described as the abuse of legal frameworks to suppress dissent.
