Latest news with #Russophobic
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Russia bans Amnesty International Limited as 'undesirable' organisation
Russia's prosecutor general said on Monday it had banned human rights group Amnesty International Limited as an "undesirable organisation", accusing it of backing Ukraine against Russia. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in London, Amnesty International campaigns for human rights across the world, including on behalf of those it designates prisoners of conscience. In its statement, Russia's prosecutor general said that Amnesty International Limited's London office was a "centre for the preparation of global Russophobic projects", and accused it of advocating on behalf of Ukraine, with which Russia is at loggerheads. It accused Amnesty of: "doing everything possible to intensify the military confrontation in the region. They justify the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, call for an increase in their funding and insist on the political and economic isolation of our country." Russian officials regularly accuse Ukraine of being dominated by "neo-Nazis", an accusation seen in Ukraine, the West and other countries as baseless propaganda. Amnesty did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Russia regularly designates organisations it says undermine its national security as "undesirable". The designation mandates penalties of up to five years in prison for Russian citizens working with or funding designated groups. Organisations previously banned as undesirable include US government-funded broadcaster RFE/RL and international environmental organisation Greenpeace.
Kuwait Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Russia's ban on Amnesty won't deter group's work: Official
ODESA: A woman walks past burnt cars in the courtyard of a building damaged as a result of a drone attack in Odesa in this file photo. — AFP LONDON: Amnesty International said Monday that it would keep up investigations on Russia despite Moscow declaring the rights group an 'undesirable organization', effectively banning its operations and exposing supporters to prosecution. 'This decision is part of the Russian government's broader effort to silence dissent and isolate civil society,' Amnesty secretary general Agnes Callamard said in a statement. Amnesty said the move would not deter its efforts to document rights abuses, including alleged war crimes by Russian forces in Ukraine. Russia's prosecutor general accused the London-headquartered body of being a 'center for the preparation of global Russophobic projects, paid for by accomplices of the Kyiv regime.' Moscow has outlawed dozens of international civil society groups amid a years-long crackdown on dissent and criticism that has escalated since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It said the group had 'been doing everything possible to intensify the military confrontation in the region, justifying the crimes of the Ukrainian neo-Nazis, calling for increased funding for them and supporting the political and economic isolation of our country.' Kyiv, the West and independent experts have repeatedly rejected Moscow's claims that it is fighting to 'de-Nazify' Ukraine as baseless Kremlin propaganda. On its website, Amnesty calls Russia's military offensive on Ukraine a 'war of aggression'. 'The rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association remained severely restricted,' it adds, detailing 'arbitrary persecution' of several groups. 'Dissenters faced arbitrary prosecutions, unfair trials, heavy fines and lengthy prison terms under a plethora of laws that failed to meet international human rights standards,' Amnesty stated. Groups labelled 'undesirable' are banned from operating in Russia. Anybody accused of 'cooperating' with them can face fines or a lengthy jail sentence. Groups designated 'undesirable' are banned from operating in Russia and individuals who cooperate with them risk administrative fines or criminal prosecution — including prison terms of up to six years for repeat offences. Amnesty has warned that the Moscow decision puts Russian partners, journalists and others perceived to support the organization at risk. The designation comes three years after Russian authorities blocked access to Amnesty's website and shut down its Moscow office. — AFP
Qatar Tribune
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Human rights group Amnesty effectively banned in Russia
MoscowcTypeface:> Russia has declared the human rights group Amnesty International an undesirable organization, effectively banning its work in the country. The Prosecutor General's Office in Moscow announced on Monday that the organization was a 'centre for preparing global Russophobic projects, paid for by henchmen of the Kiev regime.' Amongst other things, the authorities accuse Amnesty of exacerbating the military confrontation in the region since the start of the war in Ukraine. Being classified as an undesirable organization is tantamount to a ban in Russia. Amnesty International is one of the world's best-known human rights groups. It repeatedly accuses Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine and of oppressing dissidents. Russia has declared numerous institutions to be undesirable organizations since it launched its war of aggression in Ukraine. (DPA)
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Russia bans Amnesty International, which vows to redouble work on rights abuses
The logo of Amnesty International is seen during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela February 20, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Jass/File Photo MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia banned Amnesty International on Monday by classing it as an "undesirable organisation" for backing Ukraine against Russia, drawing a rebuke from the group which said it would redouble efforts to expose Russian human rights abuses. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in London, Amnesty International campaigns for human rights across the world, including on behalf of those it designates prisoners of conscience. Russia's prosecutor general said that Amnesty International Limited's London office was a "centre for the preparation of global Russophobic projects", and accused it of advocating on behalf of Ukraine, with which Russia is at war. The Russian prosecutor said Amnesty International had done "everything possible to intensify the military confrontation in the region" while justifying the alleged crimes of Ukraine and seeking the isolation of Russia. "You must be doing something right if the Kremlin bans you," Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said in a statement. "This decision is part of the Russian government's broader effort to silence dissent and isolate civil society." "We will redouble our efforts to expose Russia's egregious human rights violations both at home and abroad," Callamard said. "Amnesty will never give up or back down in its fight for upholding human rights in Russia and beyond." Russia regularly designates organisations it says undermine its national security as "undesirable". The designation mandates penalties of up to five years in prison for Russian citizens working with or funding designated groups. Organisations previously banned as undesirable include U.S. government-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and international environmental organisation Greenpeace. Amnesty said that the Russian law under which the designation was made itself violates international law, and said the move came three years after Moscow blocked access to Amnesty International's websites in Russia and effectively closed down its office in Moscow. Russia says its laws have legal primacy. Russia says that Western human rights groups give biased and factually inaccurate assessments of Russia, ignore abuses in the West, and are essentially pawns in a wider Western information war being waged against Moscow. Rights groups say such accusations are absurd and that the hopes for liberty which accompanied the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union have been smashed under Russian President Vladimir Putin, who rose to power in 1999. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow and Felix Light in Tbilisi; editing by Aidan Lewis)
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Russia adds Amnesty International to list of ‘undesirable' list
May 19 (UPI) -- The Russian government announced Monday that the nonprofit Amnesty International is no longer welcome within its borders. The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation put out a statement that it "has made a decision to recognize the activities of the international non-governmental organization Amnesty International Limited, registered in London, as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation." The agency then claimed that while "the organization positions itself as an active conductor of human rights protection in the world," it alleges that "the London headquarters of AIL is the center of preparation of global 'Russophobic' projects, paid for by accomplices of the Kyiv regime." It then further purported that Amenesty International has not only worked to "intensify the military confrontation in the region," but has also justified "the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis," and has sought an increase for funding of Ukraine as it insists "on the political and economic isolation of [Russia]." "The organization's members support extremist organizations and finance the activities of foreign agents," the agency said. The Amnesty Eastern Europe and Central Asia regional office responded Monday with a warning that the Russian declaration means "any participation in our activities, including donations and reposts, is punishable in the Russian Federation." "If you read us from Russia, or are planning to be there, please refrain from sharing our online and offline materials," it said. "We will continue to protect human rights in Russia and in the world, and we will keep you informed," before a final wish for readers to take care. According to AIL, its Moscow office has been shut down since April of 2022 by Russian authorities after the Russian Ministry of Justice delisted it from the register of the representative offices of foreign nongovernmental organizations and international organizations. This allegedly came after Russia's media regulator blocked access to Amnesty International's Russian-language website. Russia has a list of over 200 "undesirable organizations," which includes the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Greenpeace. Russian citizens can receive as many as five years in prison for funding or working with any of the groups that have been banned. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
