Human rights in Russia

{{Main|Human rights in the Soviet Union}}

{{Expand section|date=August 2020}}

Human rights were severely restricted within the Soviet Union. From 1927 to 1953, it was ruled as a totalitarian regime, and until 1990, it was also ruled as a single-party state. The government commonly silenced freedom of speech and it also used harsh measures against all dissenters. No independent political organizations, including labor unions, private businesses, churches, and opposing political parties, were tolerated. Citizens' movement was strictly controlled both within the country and internationally, and private property rights were heavily limited.

In practice, the Soviet government significantly curtailed many of the principles of the rule of law, civil liberties, legal protections, and property rights, considering them representative of "bourgeois morality", according to the Soviet legal thinker Andrey Vyshinsky. Despite officially signing human rights agreements, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1973, these documents were mostly unknown and unavailable to people living under Communist rule. Furthermore, the Communist authorities showed little respect for these commitments. Human rights activists in the Soviet Union consistently faced harassment, suppression, and arrest.

During Putin's first term as President (2000–2004), Freedom House rated Russia as "partially free" with poor scores of 4 on both political rights and civil liberties (1 being most free, and 7 least free). In the period from 2005 to 2008, Freedom House rated Russia as "not free" with scores of 6 for political rights and 5 for civil liberties according to its Freedom in the World reports.[http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090713214234/http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=15 Freedom in the World:] The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties. Retrieved on 11 July 2009.

In 2006, The Economist published a democracy rating, which placed Russia at 102nd among 167 countries and defined it as a "hybrid regime with a trend towards curtailment of media and other civil liberties".{{cite news|first=Laza|last=Kekic|url=http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/DEMOCRACY_INDEX_2007_v3.pdf|title=The Economist Intelligence Unit's index of democracy|newspaper=The Economist|date=2007|access-date=26 September 2015}}

According to the Human Rights Watch 2016 report, the human rights situation in the Russian Federation continues to deteriorate.{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/russia |title=Russia: Events of 2016 |website=Human Rights Watch |date=12 January 2017 |access-date=16 December 2017}}

By 2016, four years into Putin's third term as president, the Russian Federation had sunk further on the Freedom House rating:{{cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2016/russia|title=Russia|website=freedomhouse.org|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-date=26 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926015932/https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2016/russia|url-status=dead}}

[T]he Kremlin continued a crackdown on civil society, ramping up pressure on domestic nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and branding the U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy and two groups backed by billionaire philanthropist George Soros as 'undesirable organizations'. The regime also intensified its tight grip on the media, saturating the information landscape with nationalist propaganda while suppressing the most popular alternative voices.

Reportedly in 2019, with France and Germany’s constant efforts in saving Moscow from being expelled from the Europe's human rights watchdog, Russia might retain its seat if it resumes its membership fees payment.{{cite news|url= https://www.ft.com/content/d17f6266-77f6-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab|title=Russia set to retain seat on Europe's human rights watchdog|newspaper=Financial Times|date=16 May 2019|access-date=17 May 2019|last1=Peel|first1=Michael}}

International monitors and domestic observers have listed numerous, often deeply-rooted problems in the country and, with their advocacy, citizens have directed a flood of complaints to the European Court of Human Rights since 1998. By 1 June 2007, 22.5% of its pending cases were complaints against the Russian Federation by its citizens.{{cite web|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/D240083A-5243-422F-9C5C-DC6A3173246F/0/Pending_casesGraph.pdf|title=European Court of Human Rights: Pending cases 01/07/2007|work=ECtHR|date=1 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714021707/http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/D240083A-5243-422F-9C5C-DC6A3173246F/0/Pending_casesGraph.pdf|archive-date=14 July 2007}} This proportion had risen steadily since 2002 as in 2006 there were 151 admissible applications against Russia (out of 1,634 for all the countries) while in 2005 it was 110 (of 1,036), in 2004 it was 64 (of 830), in 2003 it was 15 (of 753) and in 2002 it was 12 (of 578).{{cite web|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/69564084-9825-430B-9150-A9137DD22737/0/Survey_2006.pdf|title=Survey of activities 2006; Registry of the European Court of Human Rights Strasbourg|publisher=Council of Europe|work=ECtHR|date=2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206035004/http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/69564084-9825-430B-9150-A9137DD22737/0/Survey_2006.pdf|archive-date=6 February 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/4753F3E8-3AD0-42C5-B294-0F2A68507FC0/0/2005_SURVEY__COURT_.pdf|title=Survey of activities 2005; Information document issued by the Registrar of the European Court of Human Rights|publisher=Council of Europe|work=ECtHR|date=2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721190515/http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/4753F3E8-3AD0-42C5-B294-0F2A68507FC0/0/2005_SURVEY__COURT_.pdf|archive-date=21 July 2006}}{{cite web|url=http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/461D3893-D3B7-4ED9-AC59-8BD9CA328E14/0/SurveyofActivities2004.pdf|title=Survey of activities 2004; Information document issued by the Registrar of the European Court of Human Rights|publisher=Council of Europe|work=ECtHR|date=2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051026010818/http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/461D3893-D3B7-4ED9-AC59-8BD9CA328E14/0/SurveyofActivities2004.pdf|archive-date=26 October 2005}}

Chechnya posed a separate problem and during the Second Chechen War, which lasted from September 1999 to 2005, there were numerous instances of summary execution and forced disappearance of civilians there.{{cite web|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/13/russia14384.htm|title=Russia Condemned for Chechnya Killings - Human Rights Watch|website=Hrw.org|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081111220718/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/13/russia14384.htm|archive-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/russia/chechnya.html|title=Chechnya – human rights under attack|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219125042/http://www.amnesty.org/russia/chechnya.html|archive-date=19 February 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/27/russia13864.htm|title=Russia Condemned for 'Disappearance' of Chechen|work=Human Rights Watch|date=27 July 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060730210148/https://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/27/russia13864.htm|archive-date=30 July 2006}} According to the ombudsman of the Chechen Republic, Nurdi Nukhazhiyev, the most complex and painful problem as of March 2007 was to trace over 2,700 abducted and forcefully held citizens; analysis of the complaints of citizens of Chechnya shows that social problems were ever more frequently coming to the foreground; two years earlier, he said, complaints mostly concerned violations of the right to life.{{cite web|url=http://www.strana.ru/stories/02/01/22/2386/308150.html|title=Interview with Nurdi Nukhazhiyev by Khamzat Chitigov|work=Strana.Ru.}}{{Dead link|date=March 2016}}{{cbignore}}

In 2024, the investigative news portal Proekt estimated that Russian authorities had prosecuted more than 116,000 activists in the past six years, surpassing the level of political repression under Soviet leaders Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev.{{cite news |title=Political Persecution Under Putin Highest Since Stalin Era – Proekt |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/02/23/political-persecution-under-putin-highest-since-stalin-era-proekt-a84218 |work=The Moscow Times |date=23 February 2024}}

The Federal Law of 10 January 2006 changed the rules affecting registration and operation of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia.{{cite web|url=http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/06text_eng.doc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528015507/http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/06text_eng.doc|archive-date=28 May 2008|title=The Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation for the Year 2006|last=Lukin|first= Vladimir|format=DOC|year=2007|access-date=16 March 2008}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20080610035859/http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/06.shtml Russian language version].{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/08/opinion/edgvosdev.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051210020103/http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/08/opinion/edgvosdev.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 December 2005|title=Russia's NGOs: It's not so simple - Editorials & Commentary - International Herald Tribune|date=10 December 2005|website=Iht.com|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/19/AR2006101900831.html|title=Russia Halts Activities of Many Groups From Abroad|first=Peter|last=Finn|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=19 October 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}} The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, among others, was closed.{{cite web|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/13/russia14391.htm|title=Russia: Court Orders Closure of Russian-Chechen Friendship Society|publisher=Human Rights Watch|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121115439/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/13/russia14391.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008|url-status=dead}} A detailed report by Olga Gnezdilova demonstrated that small, genuinely volunteer organisations were disproportionately hit by the demands of the new procedures: for the time being, larger NGOs with substantial funding were not affected.Bumble, bumble, bumble, Human Rights House, Voronezh, 2006.

Following Putin's re-election in May 2012 for a third term as president, a new Federal Law was passed, requiring all NGOs in receipt of foreign funding and "engaged in political activities" to register as "foreign agents" with the RF Ministry of Justice. By September 2016 144 NGOs were listed on the Register, including many of the oldest, most well-known and respected organisations, both internationally and domestically.{{cite web|url=https://rightsinrussia.blog/2016/12/15/civil-society-under-attack/|title=Under Attack|date=15 December 2016|website=Rightsinrussia.blog|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814100022/https://rightsinrussia.blog/2016/12/15/civil-society-under-attack/|archive-date=14 August 2017|url-status=dead}} Government can brand NGOs as "undesirable" to fine and shut them down. Members of "undesirable organisations" can be fined and imprisoned.

File:Sun in the flags of protesters (50096710531).jpg politician Alexei Navalny attends a march in memory of assassinated opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, Moscow, 29 February 2020]]

The deepest concern was reserved for the periodic unsolved assassinations of leading opposition politicians, lawmakers, journalists, and critics of the government, at home and sometimes abroad. According to a BuzzFeed News report in 2017, current and former US and UK intelligence agents told the outlet that they believe that Russian assassins, possibly on government orders, could be linked to 14 deaths on British soil that were dismissed as not suspicious by police.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-police-evidence-russian-assassins-behind-14-suspicious-deaths-british-soil-boris-berezovsky-scot-a7793151.html|title=UK authorities 'overlooked' evidence linking Russia to deaths on British soil|date=16 June 2017|website=Independent.co.uk|access-date=16 December 2017}}

In 1998, human rights advocate Galina Starovoitova was shot dead in St. Petersburg at the entrance of her apartment.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/040/1998/en/|title=Amnesty International condemns the political murder of Russian human rights advocate Galina Starovoitova|date=21 November 1998 |publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=16 March 2008}} In 2003, Yuri Schekochikhin mysteriously died from illness, causing speculation into his death, such as poisoning.{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/82n/n82n-s05.shtml|title=Agent unknown|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=30 October 2006|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225184153/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/82n/n82n-s05.shtml|archive-date=25 February 2016|url-status=dead}} In 2003, the liberal politician Sergei Yushenkov was shot dead.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2957823.stm|title=Yushenkov: A Russian idealist|publisher=BBC News|date=17 April 2003|access-date=16 March 2008}} In 2006, Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with polonium and died. A British inquiry concluded that President Putin had "probably" approved his murder.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35371344|title=Litvinenko inquiry: Key findings|website=BBC News|date=21 January 2016}} In 2006, investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya was shot dead.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5416218.stm|title=Chechen war reporter found dead|publisher=BBC News|date=7 October 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}} In 2009, human rights advocate Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova were shot dead in Moscow. In 2015, opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead near the Kremlin.{{cite web|title=Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31669061|date=27 February 2015|publisher=BBC News|access-date=30 April 2018}} In 2017, journalist Nikolay Andrushchenko was beaten to death.{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-journalist-andrushchenko-dies-severe-beating/28439320.html|title=Russian Journalist, Putin Critic Dies After Severe Beating|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=21 April 2017 |access-date=16 December 2017}}

{{See also|Russian 2022 war censorship laws}}

File:Last Address Sign - Moscow, Kostyansky Lane, 4 (2021-02-14) 01.jpg was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison in 2022 for his anti-war statements.]]

The numbers reliably considered to be political prisoners have risen sharply in the last four years. In May 2016, the Memorial Human Rights Centre put the total at 89.{{cite web|url=https://rightsinrussia.blog/2016/06/06/political-prisoners-may-2016/|title=Political prisoners – May 2016|date=6 June 2016|website=Rightsinrussia.blog|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904073705/https://rightsinrussia.blog/2016/06/06/political-prisoners-may-2016/|archive-date=4 September 2018|url-status=dead}} By May 2017, Memorial considered there were at least 117 political prisoners or prisoners of conscience (66 accused of belonging to the Muslim organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami which has been banned in Russia since 2010). Among these prisoners is also human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku from Crimea who was accused of belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir although he denies any involvement in this organization. Amnesty International has called for his immediate liberation.{{cite web|url=http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1530645336|title=Jailed Crimean Tatar Human Rights Activist on Hunger Strike in Russian World Cup city|date=4 July 2018|website=Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group|access-date=18 October 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2018/02/crimean-tatar-hrd-emir-usein-kuku/|title=Crimean Tatar: Never Silent in the Face of Injustice|date=February 2018|website=Amnesty International|access-date=18 October 2019}}

At various times those imprisoned have included human rights defenders, journalists such as Mikhail Trepashkin,{{cite web|url=http://eng.trepashkin.ru/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060129061214/http://eng.trepashkin.ru/|archive-date=29 January 2006|title=Trepashkin case|access-date=16 March 2008}} and scientists such as Valentin Danilov.{{cite web|url=http://shr.aaas.org/aaashran/alert.php?a_id=290|title=Physicist Found Guilty|work=AAAS Human Rights Action Network|publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science|date=12 November 2004|access-date=16 March 2008}} Since 2007, loosely-worded laws against "extremism" or "terrorism" have been used to incarcerate the often youthful activists who have protested in support of freedom of assembly, against the alleged mass falsification of elections in 2011 and, since 2014, against the occupation of Crimea, the conflict in eastern Ukraine and corruption in the highest echelons of the government and State. Political prisoners are often subjected to torture in prisons and penal colonies.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/11/russia-shocking-new-torture-allegations-by-prisoner-of-conscience-must-be-investigated/|title=Russia: Shocking new torture allegations by prisoner of conscience must be investigated|website=Amnesty.org|date=November 2016|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/01/russian-dissident-ildar-dadin-accuses-prison-staff-torture-death-threat|title=Russian dissident Ildar Dadin accuses prison staff of torture|first=Luke|last=Harding|date=1 November 2016|access-date=16 December 2017|website=Theguardian.com}}{{cite web|url=http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1476749611|title=Russia is systematically driving tortured Ukrainian political prisoner insane - Human Rights in Ukraine|website=Khpg.org|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1482360294|title=Crimean political prisoners tortured on the way to court in Russian occupied Crimea - Human Rights in Ukraine|website=Khpg.org|access-date=16 December 2017}}

File:Berlin rally after Navalny's murder asv2024-02-16 img18.jpgs in Russia, February 2024]]

On 10 May 2014, Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was arrested in Simferopol, Crimea. He was taken to Russia, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for alleged terrorist activities. Amnesty International considered the trial unfair and called for the release of Sentsov.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2018/07/oleg-sentsov/|title=We Stand with Oleg Sentsov|website=Amnesty.org|date=13 July 2018|access-date=25 February 2019}} Human Rights Watch described the trial as a political show trial calling for the liberation of the filmmaker.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/24/russia-should-free-oleg-sentsov-fifa-world-cup|title=Russia Should Free Oleg Sentsov Before FIFA World Cup|website=hrw.org|date=24 May 2018|access-date=25 February 2019}} On 7 September 2019 Sentsov was released in a prisoner swap.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap-intl/index.html|title=Film director Oleg Sentsov and MH17 suspect among those freed in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap|first1=Denis|last1=Lapin|first2=Olga|last2=Pavlova|first3=Bianca|last3=Britton|first4=Sarah|last4=Dean|website=CNN|date=7 September 2019|access-date=7 September 2019}}

In May 2018 Server Mustafayev, the founder and coordinator of the human rights movement Crimean Solidarity was imprisoned by Russian authorities and charged with "membership of a terrorist organisation". Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders demand his immediate release.{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/1470/2019/en/ |title=Russian Federation/Ukraine: Further Information: Rights Defender Facing Trumped-up Charges: Server Mustafayev |date=29 November 2019 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/arrest-server-mustafayev |title=Arrest of Server Mustafayev |date=23 September 2020 }}

There were cases of attacks on demonstrators organized by local authorities.{{cite web|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/18/russia14418.htm|title=Russia: Moscow Must Investigate Police Violence at Memorial for Slain Journalist|publisher=Human Rights Watch|date=17 October 2006|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724061519/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/18/russia14418.htm|archive-date=24 July 2008|url-status=dead}}

With the passing of time some of these prisoners have been released or, like Igor Sutyagin, exchanged with other countries for Russian agents held abroad. Nevertheless, the numbers continue to mount. According to some organisations there are now more than 300 individuals who have either been sentenced to terms of imprisonment in Russia, or are currently detained awaiting trial (in custody or under home arrest), or have fled abroad or gone into hiding, because of persecution for their beliefs and their attempts to exercise their rights under the Russian Constitution and international agreements.{{cite web|url=http://www.ixtc.org/analytics/|title=СПИСОК ПОЛИТЗАКЛЮЧЕННЫХ|date=13 July 2015|website=Ixtc.org|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-date=13 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213142203/http://www.ixtc.org/analytics/|url-status=dead}}

In April 2019, an Israeli citizen who carried 9.6 grams of hashish was detained in Russia and sentenced to more than seven years in prison in October 2019. This sentence had political reasons.{{cite news|title=Russland gegen Israel: Warum eine Yogalehrerin eine überzogene Haftstrafe erhielt - DER SPIEGEL - Politik|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/russland-gegen-israel-warum-eine-yogalehrerin-eine-ueberzogene-haftstrafe-erhielt-a-09049f34-b509-4e0e-8d6a-b01dd87b4cfe|last=Alexandra Rojkov, DER SPIEGEL|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=23 January 2020|language=de}} She was pardoned in January 2020.{{cite news|title=Russland: Wladimir Putin begnadigt verurteilte Israelin - DER SPIEGEL - Politik|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/russland-wladimir-putin-begnadigt-verurteilte-israelin-a-ea38510e-545b-4468-8365-59063b1332b1|last=DER SPIEGEL|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=29 January 2020|language=de}}

On 22 June 2020, Human Rights Organization along with Amnesty International wrote a joint-letter to the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, Igor Viktorovich Krasnov. In their letter, they asked for the release of six human rights defender who were convicted and sentenced in November 2019 to prison terms ranging from seven to 19 years on groundless terror-related charges.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/22/joint-letter-human-rights-watch-and-amnesty-international-russias-prosecutor|title= Joint Letter by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to Russia's Prosecutor General |access-date=22 June 2020|website=Human Rights Watch|date= 22 June 2020 }}

File:Иллюстрация Саши Скочиленко на слушаниях в суде.jpg, who was arrested for replacing supermarket price tags with anti-war messages]]

On 17 January 2021, Amnesty International declared Alexei Navalny to be a prisoner of conscience following his detention after returning to Russia and called on the Russian authorities to release him.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/01/russia-aleksei-navalny-becomes-prisoner-of-conscience-after-arrest-on-arrival-in-moscow/|title=Russia: Aleksei Navalny becomes prisoner of conscience after arrest on arrival in Moscow|date=17 January 2021|website=amnesty.org}}

{{As of|2020|June|post=,}} per Memorial Human Rights Center, there were 380 political prisoners in Russia, including 63 individuals prosecuted, directly or indirectly, for political activities (including Alexey Navalny) and 245 prosecuted for their involvement with one of the Muslim organizations that are banned in Russia. 78 individuals on the list, i.e. more than 20% of the total, are residents of Crimea.{{Cite web|date=4 October 2017|title=Списки преследуемых|url=https://memohrc.org/ru/content/spiski-presleduemyh|access-date=11 October 2021|website=Правозащитный центр «Мемориал»}}{{Cite web |author=Russian-speaking Community Council |date=14 June 2021 |title=Russia's Political Prisoners Directory |url=https://amrusrights.wordpress.com/2021/06/14/russias-political-prisoners-directory/ |access-date=11 October 2021 |website=American Russian-speaking Association for Civil & Human Rights |language=en}}

Russia has been accused of hostage diplomacy and has exchanged prisoners with the United States.{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/04/28/1095365163/trevor-reed-came-back-home-but-paul-whelan-is-still-imprisoned-in-russia |title=Trevor Reed came back home, but Paul Whelan is still imprisoned in Russia |date=28 April 2022 |publisher=NPR |author1=Rob Schmitz |author2=Miguel Macias |author3=Amy Isackson}}

On 4 March 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill introducing prison sentences of up to 15 years for those who publish "knowingly false information" about the Russian armed forces and their operations, leading to some media outlets in Russia to stop reporting on Ukraine or shutting their media outlet.{{Cite news |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/putin-signs-law-introducing-jail-terms-for-fake-news-on-army-a76768 |title=Putin Signs Law Introducing Jail Terms for 'Fake News' on Army |website=Moscow Times |date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314132340/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/putin-signs-law-introducing-jail-terms-for-fake-news-on-army-a76768 |url-status=live }} As of December 2022, more than 4,000 people were prosecuted under "fake news" laws in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite news |last1=Weir |first1=Fred |title=In Russia, critiquing the Ukraine war could land you in prison |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2022/1205/In-Russia-critiquing-the-Ukraine-war-could-land-you-in-prison |work=CSMonitor.com |date=5 December 2022}}

In early 2024, Ksenia Karelina was arrested in Yekaterinburg and charged with treason by the Russian government for sending $51.80 to Razom, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that sends humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Her trial began on 20 June 2024 and she admitted guilt on 7 August.{{Cite web |last2=Stapleton |first1=Ivana |last1=Kottasová |first2=AnneClaire |date=7 August 2024 |title=Russian-American woman admits guilt in treason case, Russian state media reports |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/europe/ksenia-karelina-russian-american-treason-guilt-intl/index.html |access-date=7 August 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}} On 15 August 2024, she was sentenced by the regional courts of Sverdlovsk and Yekaterinburg to 12 years in prison.{{Cite web |title=Ksenia Karelina: US-Russian woman jailed in Russia for 12 years for treason |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9rygl5k4jo |access-date=15 August 2024 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}

On 17 January 2025, three lawyers—Igor Sergunin, Alexei Lipster, and Vadim Kabez—from the opposition party of Alexei Navalny were found guilty by a Russian court and sentenced to a total of five years in prison. They were accused of helping Navalny execute illegal activities outside jail.{{Cite news |last1=Trevelyan |first1=Mark |date=17 January 2024 |title=Three Navalny lawyers sentenced to years in Russian penal colony for 'extremist activity' |newspaper=Reuters |url= https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/three-navalny-lawyers-jailed-belonging-extremist-organisation-mediazona-news-2025-01-17/ |access-date=18 January 2024}}

File:Gorinov prigovor.jpg was sentenced to 7 years in prison under Russia's war censorship laws for his anti-war statements in 2022.]]

The judiciary of Russia is subject to manipulation by political authorities according to Amnesty International.{{cite book|url=https://www.amnesty.org/russia/pdfs/russia_report.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021104222834/http://www.amnesty.org/russia/pdfs/russia_report.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2002|title=The Russian Federation: Denial of Justice|year=2002|isbn=0-86210-318-5|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=16 March 2008 }} According to Constitution of Russia, top judges are appointed by the Federation Council, following nomination by the President of Russia.{{cite book|title=The Constitution of the Russian Federation|chapter=Chapter 7. Judiciary, Article 128|chapter-url=http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-08.htm|publisher=Democracy.Ru|access-date=16 March 2008}} Anna Politkovskaya described in her book Putin's Russia stories of judges who did not follow "orders from the above" and were assaulted or removed from their positions.{{cite book|title=Putin's Russia: Amazon.co.uk: Anna Politkovskaya: 9781843430506: Books|id={{ASIN|1843430509|country=uk}}}} In an open letter written in 2005, former judge Olga Kudeshkina criticized the chairman of the Moscow city court O. Egorova for "recommending judges to make right decisions", which allegedly caused more than 80 judges in Moscow to retire in the period from 2002 to 2005.

{{cite news|url=http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/18n/n18n-s42.shtml|title=Open letter to President Putin|first=Olga|last=Kudeshkina|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=9 March 2005|access-date=16 March 2008}}

In the 1990s, Russia's prison system was widely reported by media and human rights groups as troubled. There were large case backlogs and trial delays, resulting in lengthy pre-trial detention. Prison conditions were viewed as well below international standards.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.hrw.org/report/2006/09/13/undue-punishment/abuses-against-prisoners-georgia|title=Undue Punishment {{!}} Abuses against Prisoners in Georgia|date=13 September 2006|website=Human Rights Watch|language=en|access-date=26 December 2019}} Tuberculosis was a serious, pervasive problem. Human rights groups estimated that about 11,000 inmates and prison detainees die annually, most because of overcrowding, disease, and lack of medical care.[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/eur/877.htm Russia - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices] Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 23 February 2001 A media report dated 2006 points to a campaign of prison reform that has resulted in apparent improvements in conditions.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article670530.ece?token=null&offset=0|work=The Times|location=London|title=After the Gulag: conjugal visits, computers...and a hint of violence|first=Giles|last=Whittell|date=2 June 2006|access-date=4 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has been working to reform Russia's prisons since 1997, in concert with reform efforts by the national government.{{cite web|url=http://www.sdc-seco.ru/en/Home/Projects/Governance/Prison_Reform_Project|title=SDC in Russia|work=Prison Reform Project}}{{Dead link|date=March 2016}}{{cbignore}}

The rule of law has made very limited inroads in the criminal justice since the Soviet time, especially in the deep provinces.{{cite journal|last1=Pomorski|first1=Stanislaw|url=https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/nceeer/2001-815-14g-Pomorski.pdf|title=Justice in Siberia: a case study of a lower criminal court in the city of Krasnoyarsk|journal=Communist and Post-Communist Studies|volume=34|issue=4|year=2001|pages=447–478|issn=0967-067X|doi=10.1016/S0967-067X(01)00017-4|access-date=4 April 2016}}

The courts generally follow the non-acquittals policy; in 2004 acquittals constituted only 0.7 percent of all judgments. Judges are dependent on administrators, bidding prosecutorial offices in turn. The work of public prosecutors varies from poor to dismal. Lawyers are mostly court appointed and low paid. There was a rapid deterioration of the situation characterized by abuse of the criminal process, harassment and persecution of defense bar members in politically sensitive cases in recent years. The principles of adversariness and equality of the parties to criminal proceedings are not observed.{{Cite journal|last1 = Pomorski|first1 = S.|title = Modern Russian criminal procedure: The adversarial principle and guilty plea|doi = 10.1007/s10609-006-9011-8|journal = Criminal Law Forum|volume = 17|issue = 2|pages = 129–148|year = 2006|s2cid = 143920761}}

In 1996, President Boris Yeltsin pronounced a moratorium on the death penalty in Russia. However, the Russian government still violates many promises it made upon entering the Council of Europe. According to Politkovskaya, citizens who appeal to European Court of Human Rights are often prosecuted by Russian authorities.{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/48n/n48n-s01.shtml|title=It is forbidden even to speak about the Strasbourg Court|first=Anna|last=Politkovskaya|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=29 June 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}}

The court system has been widely used to suppress political opposition {{cite book|title=Documents: working papers, 2005 ordinary session (third part), 20-24 June 2005|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mKDHClgjyd0C&pg=PA52|access-date=6 April 2016|volume=5: Documents 10566-10615|date=8 June 2006|publisher=Council of Europe: Parliamentary Assembly|isbn=978-92-871-5815-4|page=52}}{{cite news|author=Andrei Malgin|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/kremlin-doesn-t-understand-international-law/528743.html|title=Kremlin Doesn't Understand International Law|publisher=Moscow Times|date=26 August 2015|access-date=6 April 2016}}{{cite news|first=Thomas|last=Grove|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-judiciary-idUSBRE9AB0QD20131112|title=European rights body urges Russia to reform judiciary|work=Reuters|date=12 November 2013|access-date=6 April 2016}} as in the cases of Pussy Riot,{{cite news|first=Laura|last=Smith-Spark|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/17/world/europe/russia-pussy-riot-trial/|title=Russian court imprisons Pussy Riot band members on hooliganism charges|publisher=CNN|date=18 August 2012|access-date=4 April 2016}}{{cite news|first=Ian|last=Bremmer|author-link=Ian Bremmer|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/08/17/158985985/foreign-policy-pussy-riot-is-only-the-beginning|title=Foreign Policy: Pussy Riot Is Only The Beginning|publisher=npr.org|date=17 August 2012|access-date=4 April 2016}} Alexei Navalny,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/24/russias-conviction-of-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-arbitrary-european-court-says|title=Russia's conviction of opposition leader Alexei Navalny 'arbitrary', European court says|work=The Guardian|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=24 February 2016|access-date=4 April 2016}} Zarema Bagavutdinova,{{cite web|url=http://imrussia.org/en/projects/political-prisoners/649-the-list-of-persons-recognized-as-political-prisoners-by-russias-memorial-human-rights-center|title=The List of Persons Recognized as Political Prisoners by Russia's Memorial Human Rights Center|work=Institute of Modern Russia|date=22 January 2014|access-date=4 April 2016}} and Vyacheslav Maltsev{{cite web |url=https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/leader-of-artpodgotovka-movement-maltsev-granted-asylum-in-france/ |title=Leader of Artpodgotovka movement Maltsev granted asylum in France |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-date=1 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201180733/https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/leader-of-artpodgotovka-movement-maltsev-granted-asylum-in-france/ |url-status=dead }} and to block candidatures of Kremlin's political enemies.{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.eu/article/russian-electoral-body-navalny-cant-run-for-president-in-2018/|title=Russian electoral body: Navalny can't run for president in 2018|date=24 June 2017|website=Politico.eu|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-election-commission-navalny-cant-run-prez/28575549.html|title=Russian Commission Rules Navalny Can't Run For President|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=23 June 2017 |access-date=16 December 2017}}

A 2019 report by Zona Prava NGO titled "Violence by Security Forces: Crime Without Punishment" highlighted disproportionately large number of acquittals and dropped cases against law enforcement officers when compared to overall rate of acquittals in Russian courts. The latter is only 0.43%, while in case of law enforcement and military officials accused of violent abuse of power, including ending in death of the suspect, it's almost 4%. At the same time those convicted also receive disproportionately lenient convictions—almost half of them were suspended sentences or fines.{{Cite web|title=Getting away with torture in Russia's criminal justice system|url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2019/09/16/getting-away-with-torture-in-russia-s-criminal-justice-system|access-date=18 September 2019|website=meduza.io}}

In 2021, a massive cache of videos from Russian prisons and penal colonies were published by NGO Gulagu.net with thousands of hours of first-hand recordings of torture of inmates by prison officials, involving rape and other forms of sexual assault such as penetration with sticks. The videos cover years 2015–2020 and were exfiltrated by a former inmate Sergei Savelyev who was put in charge of the video recording system prison authorities as an IT specialist. Russian authorities fired a few prison officials incriminated in these videos and also placed Savelyev on wanted list for "illegally accessing sensitive information". The abuse was described as part of systematic and countrywide technique for extortion of money and false witness statements by the FSB and law enforcement.{{Cite web|date=10 November 2021|title=New Russian Prison Torture Video Surfaces From Bombshell Leak|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/11/10/new-russian-prison-torture-video-surfaces-from-bombshell-leak-a75520|access-date=10 November 2021|website=The Moscow Times|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=8 November 2021|title='I was always scared': inmate who exposed systemic Russian prisoner abuse|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/08/i-was-always-scared-inmate-who-exposed-systemic-russian-prisoner-abuse|access-date=10 November 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Eighteen prison officials fired in Saratov after another torture video surfaces|url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2021/11/10/eighteen-prison-officials-fired-in-saratov-after-another-torture-video-surfaces|access-date=10 November 2021|website=Meduza|language=en}}

The Constitution of Russia forbids arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment. Chapter 2, Article 21 of the constitution states, "No one may be subjected to torture, violence or any other harsh or humiliating treatment or punishment."{{cite web|format=PDF|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/014/2006/en/|title=Russian Federation Preliminary briefing to the UN Committee against Torture|publisher=Amnesty International|date=31 March 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}}{{cite book|title=The Constitution of the Russian Federation|chapter=Chapter 2. Judiciary, Article 21|chapter-url=http://www.democracy.ru/english/library/laws/constitution_eng/page2.html#P75_9894|publisher=Democracy.Ru|access-date=16 March 2008}} However, in practice, Russian police, Federal Security Service{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/russias-antifa-being-tortured-and-detained-putins-shadowy-security-service-874087|title=Russia's Antifa is being tortured and detained by Putin's shadowy security service, sources say|first=Cristina|last=Maza|date=6 April 2018|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=19 June 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-metro-bombing-azimov-brothers-fsb-torture/28637695.html |title=Russian Terrorism Suspects Allege Torture At 'Secret' FSB Site |newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=26 July 2017 |last1=Schreck |first1=Carl }} and prison and jail guards are regularly observed practicing torture with impunity—including beatings with many different types of batons, sticks and truncheons, water battles, sacks with sand etc., the "Elephant Method", which is beating a victim wearing a gas mask with cut airflow, and the "Supermarket Method", which is the same but with a plastic bag on head, electric shocks including to genitals, nose, and ears, binding in stress positions, cigarette burns,{{cite web|url=http://www.srji.org/en/news/2012/12/114/|title=European Court condemns Russia for torture and resulting unfair trial of Chechen resident sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment|website=Srji.org|access-date=16 December 2017}} needles and electric needles hammered under nails,{{cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2015/09/29/tortured-and-silenced-at-the-hands-of-the-police|title=Tortured and silenced at the hands of the police: Meduza reports on the widespread torture methods in Russia's police stations, prisons, and courts|website=Meduza.io|access-date=16 December 2017}} prolonged suspension, sleep deprivation, food deprivation, rape, penetration with foreign objects, asphyxiation—in interrogating arrested suspects.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/004/1997/en/|title=Torture in Russia|date=3 April 1997|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=16 March 2008}} Another torture method is the "Television", which involves forcing the victim to stand in a mid-squat with extended arms in front of them holding a stool or even two stools, with the seat facing them. Former serviceman Andrei Sychev had to have both legs and genitals amputated after this torture due to gangrene caused by cut bloodflow. Other torture methods include the "Rack" or "Stretch", which involves hanging a victim on hands tied behind the back, the "Refrigerator", which involves subjecting a naked victim, sometimes doused in cold water, to subzero temperatures, the "Furnace", where the victim is left in heat in a small space, and "Chinese torture", where the feet of the victim laying on a tabletop are beaten with clubs. In 2000, human rights Ombudsman Oleg Mironov estimated that 50% of prisoners with whom he spoke claimed to have been tortured. Amnesty International reported that Russian military forces in Chechnya engage in torture.

Torture at police stations, jails, prisons and penal colonies is common and widespread. Doctors and nurses sometimes also take part in torturing and beating prisoners and suspects.{{cite web|url=http://www.dw.com/en/torture-is-a-widespread-problem-for-russia/av-36692670|title=Torture is a widespread problem for Russia|website=Dw.com|access-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814110827/http://www.dw.com/en/torture-is-a-widespread-problem-for-russia/av-36692670|archive-date=14 August 2017|url-status=dead}}

Russian police is known to be using torture as a means to extract forced confessions of guilt.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2013/06/torture-russia-torture-traditional-component-proof/|title=Torture in Russia: 'Torture is a traditional component of "proof"'|website=Amnesty.org|date=27 June 2013|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-police/grisly-death-fuels-tales-of-russian-police-torture-idUSBRE83419720120405|title=Grisly death fuels tales of Russian police torture|date=5 April 2012|access-date=16 December 2017|publisher=Reuters}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/russia/Russ99o-02.htm|title=CONFESSIONS AT ANY COST|website=Hrw.org|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2017/03/russia-court-awards-e45000-to-police-electro-shock-torture-victim/|title=Russia: Court awards €45,000 to police electro-shock torture victim|website=Humanrightseurope.org|access-date=16 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1079012.html|title=My Only Thought Was To Escape The Torture|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=2 February 2012 |access-date=16 December 2017 |last1=Bigg |first1=Claire }}

Sometimes police or jail guards employ trusted inmates to beat, torture and rape suspects in order to force confessions of guilt. This torture method is called "Pressing Room" or "Press Hut". Those trustees receive special prison privileges for torturing other prisoners.{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/russia/Russ99o-04.htm#P426_60152 |title=CONFESSIONS AT ANY COST }}

In the most extreme cases, hundreds of innocent people from the street were arbitrarily arrested, beaten, tortured and raped by special police forces. Such incidents took place not only in Chechnya, but also in Russian towns of Blagoveshensk, Bezetsk, Nefteyugansk, and others.{{cite news|url=http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/01n/n01n-s00.shtml|title=The entire city was beaten|first=Marat|last=Hayrullin|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=10 January 2005|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-date=12 December 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051212153922/http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/01n/n01n-s00.shtml|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/19n/n19n-s00.shtml|title=A profession: to mop up the Motherland|first=Marat|last=Hayrullin|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=17 March 2005|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-date=29 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929130702/http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/19n/n19n-s00.shtml|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/30n/n30n-s15.shtml|title=Welcome to Fairytale|first=Marat|last=Hayrullin|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=25 April 2005|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-date=29 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929095535/http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/30n/n30n-s15.shtml|url-status=dead}} In 2007, Radio Svoboda ("Radio Freedom", part of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) reported that an unofficial movement "Russia the Beaten" was created in Moscow by human rights activists and journalists who "suffered from beatings in numerous Russian cities".{{cite web|url=http://www.svoboda.org/ll/soc/0705/ll.073005-1.asp|script-title=ru:"Россия избитая" требует отставки министра внутренних дел|trans-title="Russia is beaten", demands for the resignation of the Minister of the Interior|language=ru|publisher=Radio Svoboda|date=30 July 2005|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201041437/http://www.svoboda.org/ll/soc/0705/ll.073005-1.asp|archive-date=1 February 2008}}

In June 2013, construction worker Martiros Demerchyan claimed that he was tortured by Sochi police. Demerchyan, who spent seven weeks constructing housing for the 2014 Winter Olympics, was accused by his supervisor of stealing wiring. Demerchyan denied the allegations, but when the victim returned to work to collect his pay, he was met by several police officers who beat him all night, breaking two of his teeth and sexually assaulted him with a crow bar. He was treated in hospital, but doctors told his family they had found no serious injuries on his body.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23003013|title=Sochi Olympics site worker 'tortured by Russian police'|work=BBC News|date=21 June 2013}}

Torture and humiliation are also widespread in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The term dedovshchina refers to systematic abuse of new conscripts by more long-serving soldiers.[http://hrw.org/reports/2004/russia1004/6.htm The Consequences of Dedovshchina], Human Rights Watch report, 2004 Many young men are killed, raped or commit suicide every year because of it.{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/51n/n51n-s11.shtml|title=Terrible Dedovshchina in General Staff|first=Vjacheslav|last=Ismailov|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=25 April 2005|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080125092427/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/51n/n51n-s11.shtml|archive-date=25 January 2008|url-status=dead}} It is reported that some young male conscripts are forced to work as prostitutes for "outside clients".[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/03/09d16e9f-0374-4ca2-84f6-88b9b6f2d0e1.html Conscript's Prostitution Claims Shed Light On Hazing] Radio Free Europe 21 March 2007 Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia works to protect rights of young soldiers.

File:RR5111-0064R Год прав человека в Российской Федерации.png

In the 1990s, the growth of organized crime (see Russian mafia and Russian oligarchs) and the fragmentation and corruption of law enforcement agencies in Russia coincided with a sharp rise in violence against business figures, administrative and state officials, and other public figures.Tanya Frisby, "The Rise of Organised Crime in Russia: Its Roots and Social Significance," Europe-Asia Studies, 50, 1, 1998, p. 35. The second President of Russia Vladimir Putin inherited these problems when he took office, and during his election campaign in 2000, the new president won popular support by stressing the need to restore law and order and to bring the rule of law to Russia as the only way of restoring confidence in the country's economy.{{cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0312/p06s02-woeu.html|work=The Christian Science Monitor|title=A vote for democracy, Putin-style|first=Scott|last=Peterson|date=12 March 2004|access-date=20 March 2009}}

According to data by Demoscope Weekly, the Russian homicide rate showed a rise from the level of 15 murders per 100,000 people in 1991, to 32.5 in 1994. Then it fell to 22.5 in 1998, followed by a rise to a maximum rate of 30.5 in 2002, and then a fall to 20 murders per 100,000 people in 2006.[http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2007/0281/barom03.php Russian demographic barometer] by Ekaterina Shcherbakova at [http://demoscope.ru/ Demoscope Weekly], issue of 19 March - 7 April 2007. Despite positive tendency to reduce, Russia's index of murders per capita remains one of the highest in the world with the fifth highest of 62 nations.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita|title=Countries Compared by Crime > Murders > Per capita. International Statistics|website=Nationmaster.com|access-date=16 December 2017}}

With a prison population rate of 611 per 100,000 population, Russia was second only to the United States (2006 data).[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/law/research/icps/downloads/world-prison-pop-seventh.pdf World Prison Population List] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812112840/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/law/research/icps/downloads/world-prison-pop-seventh.pdf |date=12 August 2011 }}, Roy Wamsley, King's Kollege, October 2006 Furthermore, criminology studies show that for the first five years since 2000 compared with the average for 1992 to 1999, the rate of robberies is up by 38.2% and the rate of drug-related crimes is higher by 71.7%.{{cite news|author=Inozemtsev, Vladislav|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/12/22/006.html|title=Big Costs and Little Security|publisher=Moscow Times|date=22 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061227015703/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/12/22/006.html|archive-date=27 December 2006}}

Russia has a high rate of domestic violence compared to other European countries such as the UK.{{Cite news |title=Russia's decriminalising of domestic violence means women continue to die |url=https://news.sky.com/story/how-russias-decision-to-decriminalise-domestic-violence-is-continuing-to-kill-12250780 |first=Diana |last=Magnay |publisher=Sky News |date=21 March 2021}} Russia decriminalized first-offense domestic violence in 2017, making the maximum penalty an administrative fine for an injury that did not result in hospitalization. Victims describe difficulties in getting protection from police that have resulted in severe mutilation or death, and cultural conservatism which considers domestic violence a family rather than a government matter, and denies the concept of marital rape. The Russian Orthodox Church helped defeat a 2019 bill that would have introduced restraining orders for the first time in Russia, and adding prison sentences for first-offence domestic abuse. The church called the law "antifamily" and blamed it on "radical feminist ideology".

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, some women were fined for breaking quarantine rules when they fled their abusers, leading to changes in the regulations.{{cite news |url=https://time.com/5942127/russia-domestic-violence-women/ |title=Russia's Leaders Won't Deal With a Domestic Violence Epidemic. These Women Stepped Up Instead |magazine=Time |first=Madeline |last=Roache |date=3 March 2021}} In 2020, the government cut funding for anti-domestic violence efforts by 88% from the previous year. Any anti-domestic violence organization that receives international funding is subject to registration with the government and must label all of its materials "foreign agent". The advertising agency Room 485 in 2020 launched a campaign against the popular sentiment "if he beats you, it means he loves you".

On 7 December 2011, discrimination without the use of official position was decriminalized.Сабитов Р. А. Юридическая квалификация дискриминации // Юридическая наука и правоохранительная практика. — 2012. — №. 1 (19). — p. 71-80. Discrimination through the use of official position remains formally criminalized, but Article 136 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is practically not applied.Курсаев А. В. Акт дискриминации в уголовном правие // Уголовное законодательство: вчера, сегодня, завтра. — 2019. — p. 100—106.Кунц Е. В. Предотвращение дискриминации // Правосудие. — 2019. — V. 1. — №. 1. — p. 192—204.Алфёрова А. А. Дискриминация: вопросы отграничения состава правонарушения в уголовном и административном праве // Развитие юридической науки и проблема преодоления пробелов в праве. — 2019. — p. 9-10.

Russia held elections on 4 December 2011. European Parliament called for new free and fair elections and an immediate and full investigation of all reports of fraud. According to MEPs Russia did not meet election standards as defined by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The preliminary findings of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) report on procedural violations, lack of media impartiality, harassment of independent monitors and lack of separation between party and state.[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20111214IPR34088/html/Russian-elections-MEPs-call-for-new-free-and-fair-elections Russian elections: MEPs call for new free and fair elections] European Parliament 14 December 2011

There were several cases where the FSB accused scientists of allegedly revealing state secrets to foreign nationals, while the defendants and their colleagues claimed that the information or technology was based on already published and declassified sources. Although the cases often garnered public reaction, the cases themselves were in most cases held in closed chambers, with no press coverage or public oversight.

The scientists in question are:

• Igor Sutyagin (sentenced to 15 years).{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/russia/4.htm|publisher=Human Rights Watch|work=Human Rights Situation in Chechnya|title=Case study: Igor Sutiagin|access-date=16 March 2008}}
• Evgeny Afanasyev and Svyatoslav Bobyshev, (sentenced to 12 and a half and 12 years).{{cite web|title=The List of Persons Recognized as Political Prisoners by Russia's Memorial Human Rights Center|date=22 January 2014|url=http://imrussia.org/en/projects/political-prisoners/649-the-list-of-persons-recognized-as-political-prisoners-by-russias-memorial-human-rights-center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151221225756/http://imrussia.org/en/projects/political-prisoners/649-the-list-of-persons-recognized-as-political-prisoners-by-russias-memorial-human-rights-center|archive-date=21 December 2015}}
• Scientist Igor Reshetin and his associates at the Russian rocket and space researcher TsNIIMash-Export.
• Physicist Valentin Danilov (sentenced to 14 years).
• Physical chemist Oleg Korobeinichev (held under a written pledge not to leave city from 2006.{{cite news|title=Russian Scientist Charged With Disclosing State Secret|work=mosnews.com|date=23 March 2006}} In May 2007 the case against him was closed by FSB for "absence of body of crime". In July 2007 prosecutors publicly apologized to Korobeinichev[http://www.online-translator.com/url/tran_url.asp?lang=en&url=http%3A%2F%2Flenta.ru%2Fnews%2F2007%2F07%2F31%2Fkorobeinichev%2F&direction=re&template=General&cp1=NO&cp2=NO&autotranslate=on&transliterate=on&psubmit2.x=50&psubmit2.y=23 Prosecutors of Novosibirsk refused to make public apologies to the scientist] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930095755/http://www.lenta.ru/news/2007/07/31/korobeinichev/|date=30 September 2007 }}, July 2007, computer translation from Russian for "the image of spy").
• Academic Oskar Kaibyshev (given a 6-year suspended sentence and a fine of $132,000).{{cite news|first=Carl|last=Schreck|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/physicist-ordered-to-pay-132000/203247.html|title=Physicist Ordered to Pay $132,000|work=The Moscow Times|date=9 August 2006|access-date=5 April 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.concatenation.org/news/news9~06.html|title=Science Fiction news - Autumn 2006|website=Concatenation.org|access-date=16 December 2017}}

Ecologist and journalist Alexander Nikitin, who worked with the Bellona Foundation, was likewise accused of espionage. He published material exposing hazards posed by the Russian Navy's nuclear fleet. He was acquitted in 1999 after spending several years in prison (his case was sent for re-investigation 13 times while he remained in prison). Other cases of prosecution are the cases of investigative journalist and ecologist Grigory Pasko, sentenced to three years' imprisonment and later released under a general amnesty,{{cite web|url=http://www.index.org.ru/mayday/pasko_a.html|title=The Case of Grigory Pasko|work=The Grigory Pasko Defence Committee|access-date=20 February 2016}}{{cite web|first=Jon|last=Gauslaa|url=http://193.71.199.52/en/international/russia/envirorights/pasko/24748.html|title=The Pasko case|publisher=Bellona Foundation|date=24 June 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104010756/http://193.71.199.52/en/international/russia/envirorights/pasko/24748.html|archive-date=4 January 2006}} Vladimir Petrenko who described dangers posed by military chemical warfare stockpiles and was held in pretrial confinement for seven months, and Nikolay Shchur, chairman of the Snezhinskiy Ecological Fund who was held in pretrial confinement for six months.{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/russia/fsb-cases.htm|title=FSB Counterintelligence Cases - Russia / Soviet Intelligence Agencies|first=John|last=Pike|website=Globalsecurity.org|access-date=16 December 2017}}

File:Anti-Corruption Rally in Saint Petersburg (2017-06-12) 83.jpg]]

Viktor Orekhov, a former KGB captain who assisted Soviet dissidents and was sentenced to eight years of prison in the Soviet era, was sentenced in 1995 to three years of prison for alleged possession of a pistol and magazines. After one year he was released and left the country.{{Cite web|url=http://www.evartist.narod.ru/text1/81.htm#%D0%B7_10|title=Воронов В. Служба. РАЗДЕЛ III|website=www.evartist.narod.ru|access-date=19 June 2019}}

Vil Mirzayanov was prosecuted for a 1992 article in which he has claimed that Russia was working on chemical weapons of mass destruction, but won the case and later emigrated to the United States{{cite web|url=http://sutyagin.ru/pressa/031117.html|title="Дело" Сутягина – Пресса|website=Sutyagin.ru|access-date=16 December 2017}}

Vladimir Kazantsev who disclosed illegal purchases of eavesdropping devices from foreign firms was arrested in August 1995, and released at the end of the year, however the case was not closed.{{cite web|first=Anatoly|last=Medetsky|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/07/28/011.html|title=Researchers Throw Up Their Arms|publisher=The Moscow Times|date=28 July 2006|issue=3463|page=3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070323003701/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/07/28/011.html|archive-date=23 March 2007}} Investigator Mikhail Trepashkin was sentenced in May 2004 to four years of prison.

On 9 January 2006, journalist Vladimir Rakhmankov was sentenced for alleged defamation of the President in his article "Putin as phallic symbol of Russia" to fine of 20,000 roubles (about [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211254/http://www.cbr.ru/currency_base/DD_print.asp?date_req1=27%2F12%2F2005&date_req2=14%2F01%2F2006&VAL_NM_RQ=R01235 695 USD]).{{cite news|url=http://www.cursiv.ru/news/|title=News from Cursiv site|work=cursiv.ru|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070207025500/http://www.cursiv.ru/news/|archive-date=7 February 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/6/DF7B2E15-2F9F-4A8B-AAF0-A7622F0D33F7.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060605195645/http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/6/DF7B2E15-2F9F-4A8B-AAF0-A7622F0D33F7.html|archive-date=5 June 2006|title=Russia: 'Phallic' Case Threatens Internet Freedom|work=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|access-date=5 March 2015}}

Political dissidents from the former Soviet republics, such as authoritarian Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, are often arrested by the FSB and extradited to these countries for prosecution, despite the protests from international human rights organizations.{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/51n/n51n-s12.shtml|script-title=ru:Чайка залетит в европейский суд?|trans-title=Will a seagull fly into the European Court?|first=Irina|last=Borogan|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=7 October 2006|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118054953/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/51n/n51n-s12.shtml|archive-date=18 January 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/82n/n82n-s11.shtml|script-title=ru:ФСБ служит Исламу|trans-title=The FSB is serving Islam|first=Aleksandr|last=Podrabinek|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=30 October 2006|access-date=26 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118044458/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/82n/n82n-s11.shtml|archive-date=18 January 2008|url-status=dead}} The special security services of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan also kidnap people in Russian territory, with the implicit approval of the FSB.{{cite news|first1=Andrei|last1=Soldatov|first2=Irina|last2=Borogan|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/14n/n14n-s18.shtml|script-title=ru:Спецслужбы бывшего Союза — на территории России|trans-title=The special services of the former Soviet — on the territory of Russia|language=ru|work=Novaya Gazeta|date=27 February 2006|access-date=5 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423191351/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/14n/n14n-s18.shtml|archive-date=23 April 2016|url-status=dead}}

Many people were also held in detention to prevent them from demonstrating during the G8 Summit in 2006.{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/54n/n54n-s34.shtml|script-title=ru:В Саратове прошла перепись оппозиционеров|trans-title=A 'census' of the oppositionists took place in Saratov|first=Nadezhda|last=Andreeva|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=20 July 2006|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118055004/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/54n/n54n-s34.shtml|archive-date=18 January 2008|url-status=dead}}

There has been a number of high-profile cases of human rights abuses connected to business in Russia. Among other abuses, this most obviously involves abuse of article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/|title=The Universal Declaration of Human Rights|publisher=UN|access-date=5 March 2015}} These include the case of the former heads of the oil company Yukos, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and Platon Lebedev whom Amnesty International declared prisoners of conscience,{{cite web|url=http://rianovosti.com/russia/20110524/164210044.html|title=Amnesty International declares Khodorkovsky 'prisoner of conscience' |date=24 May 2011|publisher=RIA Novosti|access-date=5 March 2015}} and the case of the lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, whose efforts to expose a conspiracy of criminals and corrupt law-enforcement officials earned him sustained abuse in prison which led to his death.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13600198|publisher=BBC News |title=Mikhail Khodorkovsky case: European Court faults Russia|date=31 May 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/node/21013016|newspaper=The Economist|title=Sergei Magnitsky one year on|date=16 November 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14187312|publisher=BBC News|title=Sergei Magnitsky: Russian officials named as suspects|date=18 July 2011}} An analogous case was the death in custody of the businesswoman Vera Trifonova, who was in jail for alleged fraud.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/world/europe/05moscow.html|work=The New York Times|first=Michael|last=Schwirtz|title=Death in Moscow Jail Renews Calls for Reform|date=4 May 2010}} Cases such as these have contributed to suspicion in other countries about the Russian justice system, which has manifested itself in the refusal to grant Russian extradition requests for businessmen fleeing abroad.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/01/uk.russia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312042325/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/01/uk.russia|archive-date=12 March 2008|location=London|work=The Guardian|first1=Rob|last1=Evans|first2=David|last2=Leigh|title=Russia seeks extradition of shipping magnate in UK|date=1 February 2008}} Notable instances of this are the cases of the tycoon Boris Berezovsky and former Yukos vice president Alexander Temerko in the UK, the media magnate Vladimir Gusinsky in Spain{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1295963.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Russian tycoon flees to Israel|date=25 April 2001|access-date=26 September 2015}} and Greece,{{cite news|first=Clifford J.|last=Levy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/world/europe/03russia.html?ref=topics&_r=0|title=Kremlin Rules – It Isn't Magic: Putin Opponents Vanish From TV|work=The New York Times|date=3 June 2008|access-date=26 September 2015}} Leonid Nevzlin in Israel{{cite news |url=http://www.mosnews.com/world/2009/03/26/nevzlin/|title= Moscow asks Israel to extradite Khodorkovsky's former business partner|publisher=Mosnews.com|date=26 March 2009|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207052304/http://mosnews.com/world/2009/03/26/nevzlin/|archive-date=7 February 2010}} and Ivan Kolesnikov in Cyprus.{{cite news|url=http://www.kommersant.com/p713715/r_500/YUKOS_extradition/undefined|title=Cyprus Court Didn't Extradite YUKOS Accused|work=Kommersant|date=17 October 2006|access-date=12 February 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225351/http://www.kommersant.com/p713715/r_500/YUKOS_extradition/undefined|archive-date=3 March 2016}} A case that will test the attitude of the French authorities to this issue is that of the shipping magnate Vitaly Arkhangelsky. The WikiLeaks revelations indicated the low level of confidence other governments have in the Russian government on such issues.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/01/wikileaks-cables-russia-mafia-kleptocracy|location=London|work=The Guardian|first=Luke|last=Harding|title=WikiLeaks cables condemn Russia as 'mafia state'|date=1 December 2010}} Cases involving major companies may gain coverage in the world media, but there are many further cases equally worthy of attention: a typical case involves the expropriation of assets, with criminals and corrupt law-enforcement officials collaborating to bring false charges against businesspeople, who are told that they must hand over assets to avoid criminal proceedings against them. A prominent campaigner against such abuses is Yana Yakovleva, herself a victim who set up the group Business Solidarity in the aftermath of her ordeal.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/politics/8476577/Russian-entrepreneurs-lead-fight-against-corruption.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430153339/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/politics/8476577/Russian-entrepreneurs-lead-fight-against-corruption.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 April 2011|location=London|work=The Daily Telegraph |first1=Vladimir|last1=Ruvinsky|first2=Russia|last2=Now|title=Russian entrepreneurs lead fight against corruption|date=27 April 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB126212533991109359|work=The Wall Street Journal|first=Gregory L.|last=White|title=Once-Jailed Russian Executive Pushes Law Changes|date=30 December 2009}}

{{See also|List of journalists killed in Russia}}

Some Russian opposition lawmakers and investigative journalists are suspected to be assassinated while investigating corruption and alleged crimes conducted by state authorities or FSB: Alexei Navalny, Sergei Yushenkov, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Alexander Litvinenko, Galina Starovoitova, Anna Politkovskaya, Paul Klebnikov.

USA and UK intelligence services believe Russian government and secret services are behind at least fourteen targeted killings on British soil.

{{Main|Second Chechen War crimes and terrorism}}

The Russian Government's policies in Chechnya are a cause of international concern. It has been reported that Russian military forces have abducted, tortured, and killed numerous civilians in Chechnya,{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/chechnya/unchr-chechnya-02.htm|publisher=Human Rights Watch|work=Human Rights Situation in Chechnya|title=Abuses by Russian forces|date=7 April 2003|access-date=16 March 2008}} but Chechen separatists have also committed abuses and acts of terrorism,{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/chechnya/unchr-chechnya-03.htm|publisher=Human Rights Watch|work=Human Rights Situation in Chechnya|title=Abuses by Chechen forces|date=7 April 2003|access-date=16 March 2008}} such as abducting people for ransom{{cite web|url=http://www.hrvc.net/news2004/6-1-04.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040717050920/http://www.hrvc.net/news2004/6-1-04.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2004|title=hrvc.net|publisher=hrvc.net|date=6 January 2004|access-date=5 March 2015 }} and bombing Moscow metro stations.{{Cite news|date=25 January 2011|title=North Caucasus: Guide to a volatile region|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12274023|access-date=14 October 2020}} Human rights groups are critical of cases of people disappearing in the custody of Russian officials. Systematic illegal arrests and torture conducted by the armed forces under the command of Ramzan Kadyrov and Federal Ministry of Interior have also been reported.

{{cite web|url=http://hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/chechnya1106/|publisher=Human Rights Watch|title=Widespread Torture in the Chechen Republic|date=13 November 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}} There are reports about repressions, information blockade, and atmosphere of fear and despair in Chechnya.{{cite news|url=http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n13/neis01_.html|work=London Review of Books|title=Diary|first=Anna|last=Neistat|date=6 July 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}}

According to Memorial reports,{{cite news|url=http://www.memo.ru/2009/03/02/0203093.pdf|work=Memorial|title=Bulletin of the Memorial Human Rights Center:Situation in the North Caucasus conflict zone: analysis from the human rights perspective|date=Autumn 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827030925/http://www.memo.ru/2009/03/02/0203093.pdf|archive-date=27 August 2010 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.memo.ru/2009/01/12/1201091.htm|work=Memorial|title=Bulletin of the Memorial Human Rights Center:Situation in the North Caucasus conflict zone: analysis from the human rights perspective|date=Summer 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015025747/http://www.memo.ru/2009/01/12/1201091.htm|archive-date=15 October 2009 }} there is a system of "conveyor of violence" in Chechen Republic, as well as in neighbouring Ingushetiya. People are suspected in crimes connected with activity of separatists squads, are unlawfully detained by members of security agencies, and then disappear. After a while some detainees are found in preliminary detention centers, while some allegedly disappear forever, and some are tortured to confess to a crime or/and to slander somebody else. Psychological pressure is also in use.{{cite news|url=http://www.memo.ru/hr/hotpoints/N-Caucas/atmstr/G5.htm|work=Memorial|script-title=ru:Фабрикация уголовных дел (на примере дела Владовского)|language=ru|year=2005|access-date=2 May 2007|archive-date=16 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616175634/http://www.memo.ru/hr/hotpoints/N-Caucas/atmstr/G5.htm|url-status=dead}} Known Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya compared this system with Gulag and claimed the number of several hundred cases.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/31/AR2006033101584.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Anna|last=Politkovskaya|title=Stalinism Forever|date=1 April 2006|access-date=4 April 2016}}

A number of journalists were killed in Chechnya purportedly for reporting on the conflict.{{cite web|url=http://todayintheuk.blogspot.com/|title=Journalists killed in Chechnya|publisher=Today In The UK}}{{Dead link|date=April 2016}}{{cbignore}} List of names includes less and more famous: Cynthia Elbaum, Vladimir Zhitarenko, Nina Yefimova, Jochen Piest, Farkhad Kerimov,{{cite web|url=http://www.rorypecktrust.org/benefic/kerimov.htm|title=Farkhad Kerimov (47 yrs old)|work=The Rory Peck Trust|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718111700/http://www.rorypecktrust.org/benefic/kerimov.htm|archive-date=18 July 2006}} Natalya Alyakina,{{cite web|first=David|last=Satter|url=http://www.cpj.org/attacks95/att95europe.html|title=Central Europe and the Republics of the Former Soviet Union|publisher=cpj.org|date=1995|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020124214713/http://www.cpj.org/attacks95/att95europe.html|archive-date=24 January 2002}} Shamkhan Kagirov,{{cite web|url=http://www.cpj.org/deadly/1995_list.html|title=Journalists Killed in 1995: 51 Confirmed|work=cpj.org|date=1995|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814054415/http://www.cpj.org/deadly/1995_list.html|archive-date=14 August 2007}} Viktor Pimenov, Nadezhda Chaikova, Supian Ependiyev, Ramzan Mezhidov and Shamil Gigayev, Vladimir Yatsina,{{cite web|url=http://www.library.cjes.ru/online/?a=con&b_id=1&c_id=267|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130113152253/http://www.library.cjes.ru/online/?a=con&b_id=1&c_id=267|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2013|title=Dangerous Profession. Monitoring of Violations of Journalist' Rights in the CIS 2000: Missing or Kidnapped Journalists|publisher=Library.cjes.ru|date=2000}} Aleksandr Yefremov,{{cite web|url=http://www.cpj.org/news/2001/killed_release_01.html|title=24 Journalists Killed for their Work in 2000: Highest Tolls in Colombia, Russia, and Sierra Leone|work=cpj.org|date=4 January 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010409194314/http://www.cpj.org/news/2001/killed_release_01.html|archive-date=9 April 2001 }} Roddy Scott, Paul Klebnikov, Magomedzagid Varisov,{{cite web|url=http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=409&issue_id=3394&article_id=2369984|title=Assassinations Continue in Dagestan|publisher=Jamestown.org|work=Chechnya Weekly|volume=6|issue=26|date=7 July 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060417225627/http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=409&issue_id=3394&article_id=2369984|archive-date=17 April 2006}} Natalya Estemirova and Anna Politkovskaya.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/oct/09/guardianobituaries.russia|title=Obituary: Anna Politkovskaya|first=David|last=Hearst|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=9 October 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}}

As reported by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg in 2009, "prior military conflicts, recurrent terrorist attacks (including suicide bombings), as well as widespread corruption and a climate of impunity have all plagued the region".

According to the Human Rights Centre Memorial, the total number of alleged abductions in Chechnya was 42 during the entire year 2008, whereas already in the first four months of 2009 there were 58 such cases. Of these 58 persons, 45 had been released, 2 found dead, 4 were missing and 7 had been found in police detention units. In the course of 2008, 164 criminal complaints concerning acts by the security forces were made, 111 of which were granted. In the first half of 2009, 52 such complaints were made, 18 of which were granted.

On 16 April 2009 the counter-terrorism operation (CTO) regime in Chechnya was lifted by the federal authorities. After that, the Chechen authorities bear primary responsibility for the fight against terrorism in the Republic. However, the lifting of the CTO regime has not been accompanied by a diminishment of activity of illegal armed groups in Chechnya.[https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1543437 REPORT by Thomas Hammarberg], Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, following his visit to the Russian Federation, (Chechen Republic and the Republic of Ingushetia) on 2–11 September 2009

There are reports on practices of collective punishment of relatives of alleged terrorists or insurgents: punitive house-burning has continued to be among the tactics against families of alleged insurgents. Chechen authorities confirmed such incidents and pointed out that "such practices were difficult to prevent as they stemmed from prevalent customs of revenge", however, educational efforts are undertaken to prevent such incidents, with the active involvement of village elders and Muslim clerics, and compensation had been paid to many of the victims of punitive house burnings.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov rules the Chechen Republic through despotism and repression.{{Cite magazine |date=1 February 2016 |title=The Putin of Chechnya |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/02/08/putins-dragon |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US}} There are gay concentration camps in Chechnya where homosexuals are tortured and executed.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/13/gay-men-targeted-chechnya-russia|title=Gay men in Chechnya are being tortured and killed. More will suffer if we don't act|first=Kyle|last=Knight|date=13 April 2017|access-date=16 December 2017|website=Theguardian.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/11/lgbt-activists-opposed-to-chechen-crackdown-detained-in-moscow|title=LGBT activists detained in Moscow while petitioning against Chechen purge|first=Alec|last=Luhn|date=11 May 2017|access-date=16 December 2017|website=Theguardian.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/gay-chechens-beating-electro-shock-torture-detain-camps-chechnya-russia-thugs-homophobia-human-a7713391.html|title=Gay men reveal details of torture and beatings 'from government' in Chechnya|date=2 May 2017|website=Independent.co.uk|access-date=16 December 2017}} In September 2017 Tatyana Moskalkova, an official representative of government on human rights, met with Chechnen authorities to discuss a list of 31 people recently extrajudicially killed in the republic.{{cite web|url=https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2017/09/22/73943-den-kogda-mertvye-voskresli|title=День, когда мертвые воскресли|website=Novayagazeta.ry|access-date=16 December 2017}}

{{See also|Russian foreign agent law|Russian undesirable organizations law}}

The lower house of the Russian parliament passed a bill by 370-18 requiring local branches of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to re-register as Russian organizations subject to Russian jurisdiction, and thus stricter financial and legal restrictions. The bill gives Russian officials oversight of local finances and activities. The bill has been highly criticized by Human Rights Watch, Memorial organization, and the INDEM Foundation for its possible effects on international monitoring of the status of human rights in Russia.

{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/23/international/europe/23cnd-russia.html|title= Russia Moves to Increase Control Over Charities and Other Groups|first=Steven Lee|last=Myers|work=The New York Times|date=23 November 2005|access-date=16 March 2008}} In October 2006 the activities of many foreign non-governmental organizations were suspended using this law; officials said that, "the suspensions resulted simply from the failure of private groups to meet the law's requirements, not from a political decision on the part of the state. The groups would be allowed to resume work once their registrations are completed." Another crackdown followed in 2007.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/crackdown-on-ngos-pushes-600-charities-out-of-russia-462525.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407061119/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/crackdown-on-ngos-pushes-600-charities-out-of-russia-462525.html|archive-date=7 April 2009|title=Crackdown on NGOs pushes 600 charities out of Russia|first=Alastair|last=Gee|work=The Independent|location=London|date=22 August 2007|access-date=16 March 2008}}

The year 2015 saw the dissolution of several NGOs following their registration as foreign agents under the 2012 Russian foreign agent law and the shutdown of NGOs under the 2015 Russian undesirable organizations law.

In March 2016, Russia announced the closure of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Moscow.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/14/moscows-un-human-rights-office-to-shut-its-door.html|title=Moscow's UN human rights office to shut its door|website=CNBC|date=14 March 2016|access-date=18 March 2016}}

{{See also|Freedom of religion in Russia|Religion in Russia}}

The Constitution of Russia guarantees freedom of religion and the equality of all religions before the law as well as the separation of church and state. Vladimir Putin claimed in his 2005 Ombudsman's report that, "the Russian state has achieved significant progress in the observance of religious freedom and lawful activity of religious associations, overcoming a heritage of totalitarianism, domination of a single ideology and party dictatorship."{{cite web|url=http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/05text_eng.doc|title=The Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation for the Year 2005|last=Lukin|first=Vladimir|format=DOC|year=2006|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528015514/http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/05text_eng.doc|archive-date=28 May 2008}}

[http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/05.shtml Russian language version]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224002343/http://www.ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/05.shtml|date=24 February 2007 }}. However, reports of religious abuse continue to come out of Russia. According to International Christian Concern, during 2021 "crackdowns on religious freedom have intensified in Russia".{{Cite web|url=https://www.persecution.org/2021/03/29/religious-freedoms-crackdowns-intensify-russia-fresh-arrests-jehovahs-witnesses|title=Religious Freedoms Crackdowns Intensify in Russia|date=24 May 2021|language=en}} During June 2021, Forum 18 highlighted that "twice as many prisoners of conscience are serving sentences or are in detention awaiting appeals for exercising freedom of religion or belief as in November 2020".{{cite web|url= https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2663|title=RUSSIA: More jailed after "extremist organisation" trials|publisher=Forum 18|access-date=11 June 2021}} Many religious scholars and human right organizations have recently spoken up about the abuses taking place in Russia against minorities.{{Cite web|title=RUSSIA: Widened ban on "extremists" exercising religious freedom|url=https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?country=10|date=24 May 2021|language=en}}{{Cite web|title= Russia's Bimonthly Report|url=https://hrwf.eu/russia-freedom-of-religion-or-belief-news-special-bimonthly-16-31-05-2021|date=24 May 2021|language=en}} The U.S. State Department considers Russia one of the worlds' "worst violators" of religious freedom.{{cite news|title=U.S. Report Says Russia Among 'Worst Violators' Of Religious Freedom|newspaper=Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-worst-violators-religious-freedom-report-iran-turkmenistan/31215737.html|publisher=Radio Free Europe|access-date=2 June 2021}}

Alvaro Gil-Robles emphasized the amount of state support provided by both federal and regional authorities varies for the different religious communities. In harmony with that, Catholics are not always heeded as well as other religions by federal and local authorities.

Vladimir Lukin noted back in 2005, that citizens of Russia rarely experience violations of freedom of conscience (guaranteed by the article 28 of the Constitution) then. The Commissioner's Office annually accepted between 200 and 250 complaints dealing with violations of rights, usually from worshipers, who represent various confessions: Orthodox (but not belonging to the Moscow patriarchy), Old-believers, Muslim, Protestant and others. Anna Politkovskaya described cases of prosecution and even murders of Muslims by Russia's law enforcement bodies at the North Caucasus.{{cite news|url=http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/18n/n18n-s10.shtml|title=One can pray. But not too often|first=Anna|last=Politkovskaya|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=14 March 2005|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-date=29 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929125303/http://2005.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2005/18n/n18n-s10.shtml|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/51n/n51n-s29.shtml|title=A man who was killed 'just in case'|first=Anna|last=Politkovskaya|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=10 July 2006|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118044453/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/51n/n51n-s29.shtml|archive-date=18 January 2008|url-status=dead}} However, there are plenty of Muslims in higher government, Duma, and business.{{cite web|url=http://www.kremlin.ru|title=Президент России|website=Kremlin.ru|access-date=5 March 2015}}

Additional concerns over restrictions of citizens' right to association (article 30 of the Constitution) have arisen. As Vladimir Lukin noted over 15 years ago, that the number of registered religious organizations were constantly growing (22,144 in 2005), however presently an increasing number of religious organization fail to achieve legal recognition or are stripped of legal recognition previously given: e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and others.

In response, the Duma passed a new, restrictive, and potentially discriminatory law in October 1997. The law is very complex, with many ambiguous and contradictory provisions. The law's most controversial provisions separates religious "groups" and "organizations" and introduces a 15-year rule, which allows groups that have existed for 15 years or longer to obtain accredited status. According to Russian priest and dissident Gleb Yakunin, new religion law "heavily favors the Russian Orthodox Church at the expense of all other religions, including Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism", and it is "a step backward in Russia's process of democratization".{{cite web|title=Father Gleb Yakunin: Religion Law Is a Step Backward for Russia|url=http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/rellawyak.shtml|work=FSUMonitor|publisher=Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927015157/http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/rellawyak.shtml|archive-date=27 September 2007}} Since 2017, Jehovah's Witnesses have faced persecution for unclear reasons.{{cite web | first=Patrick | last=Reevell | title=Russia's mysterious campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses | website=ABC News | date=18 July 2021 | url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/russias-mysterious-campaign-jehovahs-witnesses/story?id=78629389 | access-date=24 December 2021}}{{cite news |author=Editorial Board | title=The absurd 'crime' of religious worship in Putin's Russia | newspaper=Washington Post | date=28 October 2021 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/10/28/absurd-crime-religious-worship-putins-russia/ | access-date=24 December 2021}}

The claim to guarantee "the exclusion of any legal, administrative and fiscal discrimination against so-called non-traditional confessions" was adopted by PACE in June 2005.{{cite web|url=http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-XML2HTML-EN.asp?fileid=17354&lang=en|title=Resolution 1455:Honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation|work=PACE|date=June 2005|access-date=9 August 2016}}

{{See also|2022 Russian mobilization}}

More than four million employees tied to the military and security services were banned from traveling abroad under rules issued during 2014.{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21657840-soviet-days-state-making-it-harder-many-holiday-abroad-banned-foreign|title=Banned from foreign beaches|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=16 July 2017}}

In September 2022, Vladimir Putin signed a decree introducing prison terms of up to 15 years for wartime acts, including voluntary surrender and desertion during mobilization or war.{{cite news |title=Russian Lawmakers Approve Long Jail Terms for Military Surrender, Refusal to Serve |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/20/russian-lawmakers-approve-long-jail-terms-for-military-surrender-refusal-to-serve-a78843 |work=The Moscow Times |date=20 September 2022}}{{cite news |title=Russia stiffens penalty for desertion; replaces top general |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/24/putin-toughens-penalty-for-surrender-refusal-to-fight-in-ukraine |work=Al Jazeera |date=24 September 2022}}

{{See also|Media freedom in Russia}}

File:RussiaPressFreedom2006.png

Reporters Without Borders put Russia at 147th place in the World Press Freedom Index (from a list of 168 countries).{{cite web|url=http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639|title=Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006|work=Reporters Without Borders|access-date=5 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306210631/http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639|archive-date=6 March 2009}} According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 47 journalists have been killed in Russia for their professional activity, since 1992 (as of 15 January 2008). Thirty were killed during President Boris Yeltsin's reign, and the rest were killed under the president Vladimir Putin.{{cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2008/02/attacks-on-the-press-2007-russia.php|title=Attacks on the Press in 2007: Russia|publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists|date=5 February 2008|access-date=16 March 2008|quote=Fourteen journalists have been slain in direct relation to their work during Putin's tenure, making Russia the world's third-deadliest nation for the press.}} According to the Glasnost Defence Foundation, there were 8 cases of suspicious deaths of journalists in 2007, as well as 75 assaults on journalists, and 11 attacks on editorial offices.{{cite web|url=http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest363e.shtml|work=Glasnost Defense Foundation|title=Glasnost Defense Foundation's Digest No. 363|date=27 December 2007|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813174805/http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest363e.shtml|archive-date=13 August 2008}} In 2006, the figures were 9 deaths, 69 assaults, and 12 attacks on offices.{{cite web|url=http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest312e.shtml|publisher=Glasnost Defense Foundation|title=Digest No. 312|date=9 January 2007|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927212317/http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest312e.shtml|archive-date=27 September 2007}} In 2005, the list of all cases included 7 deaths, 63 assaults, 12 attacks on editorial offices, 23 incidents of censorship, 42 criminal prosecutions, 11 illegal layoffs, 47 cases of detention by militsiya, 382 lawsuits, 233 cases of obstruction, 23 closings of editorial offices, 10 evictions, 28 confiscations of printed production, 23 cases of stopping broadcasting, 38 refusals to distribute or print production, 25 acts of intimidation, and 344 other violations of Russian journalist's rights.{{cite web|url=http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest261e.shtml|publisher=Glasnost Defense Foundation|title=Digest No. 261|date=10 January 2006|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016110612/http://www.gdf.ru/digest/digest/digest261e.shtml|archive-date=16 October 2007}}

Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, famous for her criticisms of Russia's actions in Chechnya, and the pro-Kremlin Chechya government, was assassinated in Moscow. Former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky believes that the murders of writers Yuri Shchekochikhin (author of Slaves of KGB), Anna Politkovskaya, and Aleksander Litvinenko show that the FSB has returned to the practice of political assassinations,{{cite web|url=http://www.svobodanews.ru/Transcript/2006/11/20/20061120204213113.html|script-title=ru:Бывший резидент КГБ Олег Гордиевский не сомневается в причастности к отравлению Литвиненко российских спецслужб|publisher=Radio Svoboda|language=ru|date=20 November 2006|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-date=24 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224091752/http://www.svobodanews.ru/Transcript/2006/11/20/20061120204213113.html|url-status=dead}} practised in the past by the Thirteenth Department of the KGB.Christopher Andrew, Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), {{ISBN|0-14-028487-7}}

Opposition journalist Yevgenia Albats in interview with Eduard Steiner has claimed, "Today the directors of the television channels and the newspapers are invited every Thursday into the Kremlin office of the deputy head of administration, Vladislav Surkov to learn what news should be presented, and where. Journalists are bought with enormous salaries."

{{cite web|url=http://www.kontakt.erstebankgroup.net/report/stories/Issue02_07_Was+soll+ich+fuerchten_dt+en/en|title=What should I be afraid of?|first=Jewgenija|last=Albaz|author2=Interviewed by Eduard Steiner|work=Kontakt|publisher=Erste Bank Group|date=April 2007|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307130750/http://www.kontakt.erstebankgroup.net/report/stories/Issue02_07_Was%2Bsoll%2Bich%2Bfuerchten_dt%2Ben/en|archive-date=7 March 2008|url-status=dead }}

According to Amnesty International during and after the 2014 Winter Olympics the Russian authorities adopted an increasingly attacking anti-Western and anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, which was widely echoed in the government-controlled mainstream media. This was followed by the Russo-Ukrainian War and the imposition of international sanctions.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/europe-and-central-asia/russian-federation/report-russian-federation/|title=Russian Federation: Amnesty International Report 2014/15|work=Amnesty International|date=2015|access-date=26 September 2015}}

On 28 May 2020, seven journalists and a writer were detained during a peaceful protest. They were holding single person pickets in support of the journalists who had previously been detained. On 29 May 2020, the Moscow police arrested 30 more people, including journalists, activists and district council representatives.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/29/russia-journalists-held-over-peaceful-pickets|title= Russia: Journalists Held Over Peaceful Pickets|access-date=29 May 2020|website=Human Rights Watch|date= 29 May 2020}}

On 6 July 2020, journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva was sentenced by Russian court on fake terrorism charges. She was fined with 500,000 rubles (approximately US$7000). She works for the Echo of Moscow and Radio Free Europe. In her November 2018 radio broadcast on suicide bomber attack on Federal Security Service (FSB) building in Arkhangelsk, she criticized the government on its repressive policies and crackdown on free assembly & free speech that has made peaceful activism impossible. In July 2019, she was listed as "terrorists and extremists" and the authority freezes her assets. In September 2019, she was formally accused of "propaganda of terrorism" that was completely based on her Radio broadcast.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/06/russian-journalist-sentenced-bogus-terrorism-charges|title=Russian Journalist Sentenced on Bogus Terrorism Charges|access-date=6 July 2020|website=Human Rights Watch|date=6 July 2020}}

The Russian censorship apparatus Roskomnadzor ordered media organizations to delete stories that describe the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine as an "assault", an "invasion", or a "declaration of war".{{cite news |date=26 February 2022 |title=Russia Tells Media to Delete Stories Mentioning Ukraine 'Invasion' |work=Newsweek |url=https://www.newsweek.com/russia-tells-media-delete-stories-mentioning-ukraine-invasion-1682973 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220227/https://www.newsweek.com/russia-tells-media-delete-stories-mentioning-ukraine-invasion-1682973 |archive-date=27 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} Roskomnadzor launched an investigation against the Novaya Gazeta, Echo of Moscow, inoSMI, MediaZona, New Times, TV Rain, and other Russian media outlets for publishing "inaccurate information about the shelling of Ukrainian cities and civilian casualties in Ukraine as a result of the actions of the Russian Army".{{cite news |title=Russian Government Orders Media Outlets To Delete Stories Referring To 'Invasion' Or 'Assault' On Ukraine |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/roskomnadzor-russia-delete-stories-invasion/31724838.html|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220227/https://www.rferl.org/a/roskomnadzor-russia-delete-stories-invasion/31724838.html|archive-date=27 February 2022 |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, RFE/RL |date=26 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} On 1 March 2022, Russian authorities blocked access to Echo of Moscow and TV Rain, Russia's last independent TV station,{{cite news |title=Russia's Only Independent TV Station Won't Censor the Ukraine War |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgmakx/russia-ukraine-invasion-dozhd-tv| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220301/https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgmakx/russia-ukraine-invasion-dozhd-tv| archive-date=1 March 2022 |work=Vice |date=28 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} claiming that they were spreading "deliberately false information about the actions of Russian military personnel".{{cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/01/russia-blocks-2-independent-media-sites-over-war-coverage-a76693| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220301/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/01/russia-blocks-2-independent-media-sites-over-war-coverage-a76693| archive-date=1 March 2022 |title=Russia Blocks 2 Independent Media Sites Over War Coverage |website=The Moscow Times |date=1 March 2022}}{{cbignore}} Additionally, Roskomnadzor threatened to block access to the Russian Wikipedia in Russia over the article "Вторжение России на Украину (2022)" ('Russia's invasion of Ukraine (2022)'), claiming that the article contains "illegally distributed information", including "reports about numerous casualties among service personnel of the Russian Federation and also the civilian population of Ukraine, including children".{{Cite news |date=1 March 2022 |title=Moscow threatens to block Russian-language Wikipedia over invasion article |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/crime-pmn/moscow-threatens-to-block-russian-language-wikipedia-over-invasion-article| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220301/https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/crime-pmn/moscow-threatens-to-block-russian-language-wikipedia-over-invasion-article| archive-date=1 March 2022 |access-date=2 March 2022}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvnpq5/russia-threatens-to-block-wikipedia-for-stating-facts-about-its-war-casualties-editors-say|title=Russia Threatens to Block Wikipedia for Stating Facts About Its War Casualties, Editors Say|date=2 March 2022|first=Samantha|last=Cole|website=Vice}}

On 4 March 2022, Roskomnadzor blocked access to several foreign media outlets, including BBC News Russian, Voice of America, RFE/RL, Deutsche Welle and Meduza,{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/russia-restricts-access-bbc-russian-service-radio-liberty-ria-2022-03-04/|title=Russia blocks access to BBC and Voice of America websites|website=Reuters|date=4 March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/facebook-multiple-media-sites-partially-down-in-russia-afp-ngo-a76750|title=Facebook, Multiple Media Sites Partially Down in Russia – AFP, NGO|website=The Moscow Times|date=4 March 2022}} as well as Facebook and Twitter.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/russia-completely-blocks-access-to-facebook-and-twitter |title=Russia blocks access to Facebook and Twitter |date=4 March 2022 |website=The Guardian |last=Milmo |first=Dan}}

On 4 March 2022, President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill introducing prison sentences of up to 15 years for those who publish "knowingly false information" about the Russian military and its operations, leading to some media outlets to stop reporting on Ukraine.{{cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/putin-signs-law-introducing-jail-terms-for-fake-news-on-army-a76768|title=Putin Signs Law Introducing Jail Terms for 'Fake News' on Army|website=The Moscow Times|date=4 March 2022}} More than 1,000 Russian journalists have fled Russia since February 2022.{{cite news |title=1K Journalists Have Fled Russia Since Ukraine Invasion – Report |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/02/03/1k-journalists-have-fled-russia-since-ukraine-invasion-report-a80135 |work=The Moscow Times |date=3 February 2023}} Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said that, "These new laws are part of Russia’s ruthless effort to suppress all dissent and make sure the [Russian] population does not have access to any information that contradicts the Kremlin’s narrative about the invasion of Ukraine."{{cite news |title=Russia Criminalizes Independent War Reporting, Anti-War Protests |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/07/russia-criminalizes-independent-war-reporting-anti-war-protests |work=Human Rights Watch |date=7 March 2022}} In February 2023, Russian journalist {{ill| Maria Ponomarenko|sv|Maria Ponomarenko}} was sentenced to six years in prison for publishing information about the Mariupol theatre airstrike.{{cite news |title=Russia Jails Anti-War Journalist 6 Years for 'Fake News' |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/02/15/russia-jails-anti-war-journalist-6-years-for-fake-news-a80230 |work=The Moscow Times |date=15 February 2023}}

In March 2022, Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov wrote to the Chairman of Russia's Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin that Russia's 2022 war censorship laws violate the freedom of speech provisions of the Constitution of Russia.{{cite news |title=Top Russian Journalist Defiant in Face of Fake News Investigation |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/top-russian-journalist-defiant-in-face-of-fake-news-investigation-/6497836.html |work=VOA News |date=23 March 2022}} The Russian Constitution expressly prohibits censorship in Article 29 of Chapter 2, Rights and Liberties of Man and Citizen.{{cite web |title=The Constitution of the Russian Federation. Chapter 2. Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen |url=http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-03.htm |publisher=Constitution.ru}}{{cite news |title=Constitution of the Russian Federation |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b59f4.html |publisher=National Legislative Bodies / National Authorities |date=25 December 1993}} As of December 2022, more than 4,000 people were prosecuted under "fake news" laws.

On 13 July 2022, the United Nations’ human rights experts condemned Russia’s continued and heightened crackdown on civil society groups, human rights defenders and media outlets. Most independent Russian media outlets were closed down to avoid prosecution, or had been blocked along with dozens of foreign media. Of the many thousands of Russians who protested peacefully against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, over 16,000 of them, including many human rights defenders, have been detained.{{cite web|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/07/1122412|title=Russia: Human rights experts condemn civil society shutdown|accessdate=13 July 2022|website=United Nations|date=13 July 2022 }}

On 5 September 2022, Russian journalist Ivan Safranov was sentenced to 22 years in prison in relation to the "treason" charges.{{cite news | last1= Tenisheva | first1= Anastasia | title= Russia Jails Journalist Safronov for 22 Years on Treason Charges | date= 5 September 2022 |newspaper= The Moscow Times | url= https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/05/russia-jails-journalist-safronov-for-22-years-on-treason-charges-a78722 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20220905210210/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/05/russia-jails-journalist-safronov-for-22-years-on-treason-charges-a78722 |archive-date= 5 September 2022 |url-status=live }} Russian daily newspaper Kommersant called the charges of treason "absurd".{{cite news | last1= Rainsford | first1= Sarah | title= Russian space official Safronov charged in treason probe | date= 5 September 2022 |newspaper= BBC News | url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53319545 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220712031959/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53319545 |archive-date= 12 July 2022 |url-status=live }} In June 2019, Kommersant was accused in Russian courts with disclosing state secrets; according to BBC News, the case was based on an article co-authored by Safronov about Russian sales of fighter jets to Egypt.

{{Main|Freedom of assembly in Russia}}

File:Arrests at an anti-war protest in Moscow (24 February 2022, Tverskaya street).jpg in Moscow, 24 February 2022]]

Russian Constitution (1993) states of the Freedom of assembly that citizens of the Russian Federation shall have the right to gather peacefully, without weapons, and to hold meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets.{{cite web|url=http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-03.htm|title=The Constitution of the Russian Federation: Chapter 2. Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen|work=constitution.ru|date=12 December 1993|access-date=20 February 2016}}

According to Amnesty International (2013 report) peaceful protests across Russia, including gatherings of small groups of people who presented no public threat or inconvenience, were routinely dispersed by police, often with excessive force. The day before the inauguration of President Putin, peaceful protesters against elections to Bolotnaya Square in Moscow were halted by police. 19 protesters faced criminal charges in connection with events characterized by authorities as "mass riots". Several leading political activists were named as witnesses in the case and had their homes searched in operations that were widely broadcast by state-controlled television channels. Over 6 and 7 May, hundreds of peaceful individuals were arrested across Moscow.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/russia/report-2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602232317/http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/russia/report-2013|archive-date=2 June 2013|title=Country Profiles - Amnesty International|work=amnesty.org}} According to Amnesty International police used excessive and unlawful force against protestors during the Bolotnaya Square protest on 6 May 2012. Hundreds of peaceful protesters were arrested.{{cite press release|format=PDF|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/001/2014/en/|title=Russian Federation: Behind the smokescreen of Olympic celebrations: Key human rights concerns in the Russian Federation Update: Media briefing|work=Amnesty International|date=9 January 2015}}

According to a Russian law introduced in 2014, a fine or detention of up to 15 days may be given for holding a demonstration without the permission of authorities and prison sentences of up to five years may be given for three breaches. Single-person pickets have resulted in fines and a three-year prison sentence.{{cite news|url=http://barentsobserver.com/en/society/2015/06/tribute-boris-nemtsov-ends-court-15-06|title=Tribute to Boris Nemtsov ends in court|first=Atle|last=Staalesen|work=Barents Observer|date=15 June 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/12/Russia-Peaceful-activist-sentenced-under-repressive-new-law-must-be-released/|title=Russia: Peaceful activist sentenced under repressive new law must be released|work=Amnesty International|date=7 December 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://globalvoices.org/2015/12/10/russia-sentences-first-activist-to-three-years-in-jail-for-peaceful-protest/|title=Russia Sentences First Activist to Three Years in Jail for Peaceful Protest|first=Tetyana|last=Lokot|work=Global Voices|date=10 December 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/russia-one-person-picket-protesters-locked-after-bolotnaya-demo|title=Russia: one-person picket protesters locked up after Bolotnaya demo|work=Amnesty International|date=8 May 2015}}

On 9 June 2020, a feminist blogger Yulia Tsvetkova was charged with "pornography dissemination". She runs a social media group that encourages body positivity and protested against the social taboos related to women. She was put under a 5-month house arrest and banned from traveling. On 27 June 2020, 50 Russian media outlets organized a "Media Strike for Yulia", appealing the government to drop all charges against Yulia. During the campaign, the activists were peacefully protesting against the government in a single person pickets. The police detained 40 activists for supporting Yulia Tsvetkova. Human Rights Watch urged the authorities to drop all the charges against Yulia for being a feminist and an activist of LGBTQ people.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/30/dozens-detained-russia-protesting-prosecution-feminist-activist|title= Dozens Detained in Russia For Protesting Prosecution of Feminist Activist|access-date=30 June 2020|website=Human Rights Watch|date= 30 June 2020}}

On 10 July 2020, Human Rights Watch said, several journalists in Russia were detained in a crackdown on peaceful protests and are facing fines. HRW urges Russian authorities to drop the charges against the protesters, journalists and end attacks on freedom of expression.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/06/tunisia-two-year-sentence-homosexuality|title=Russia: Dozens of Journalists Detained for Peaceful Protests|access-date=10 July 2020|website=Human Rights Watch|date=6 July 2020}}

On 4 August 2020, Human Rights Watch urged the Russian authorities to drop the charges against Yulia Galyamina, a municipal assembly member, who is accused of organizing and participating in unauthorized demonstrations, although they were peaceful. Her prosecution violated respect for freedom of assembly.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/04/russia-activist-facing-charges-over-peaceful-protest|title= Russia: Activist Facing Charges Over Peaceful Protest |access-date=4 August 2020 |website= Human Rights Watch|date= 4 August 2020 }}

On 12 August 2021, report "RUSSIA: NO PLACE FOR PROTEST" from Amnesty International in which stated that Russian authorities made it almost impossible for protesters to exercise their right to freedom of peaceful assembly. The organization also accused Russia of suppressing peaceful protests using heavy-handed police tactics and by deploying the use of restrictive laws.{{cite web|url=https://dw.com/en/russia-peaceful-protests-nearly-impossible-says-amnesty/a-58836513|title=Russia: Peaceful protests nearly impossible, says Amnesty|accessdate=12 August 2021|website=Deutsche Welle}}{{cite web|url=https://eurasia.amnesty.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/russia-no-place-for-protest-1.pdf|title=RUSSIA: NO PLACE FOR PROTEST|accessdate=12 August 2021|website=Amnesty International}}

{{See also|Ethnic groups in Russia|Russian Colonialism|List of endangered languages in Russia}}

File:Two largest ethnic minority by federal subject 2010.jpg

Russian Federation is a multi-national state with over 170 ethnic groups designated as nationalities, population of these groups varying enormously, from millions in the case of Russians and Tatars to under ten thousand in the case of Nenets and Samis. Among 83 subjects which constitute the Russian Federation, there are 21 national republics (meant to be home to a specific ethnic minority), 5 autonomous okrugs (usually with substantial or predominant ethnic minority) and an autonomous oblast. However, as Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Gil-Robles noted in a 2004 report, whether or not the region is "national", all the citizens have equal rights and no one is privileged or discriminated against on account of their ethnic affiliation.

As Gil-Robles noted, although co-operation and good relations are still generally the rule in most of regions, tensions do arise, whose origins vary. Their sources include problems related to peoples that suffered Stalinist repressions, social and economic problems provoking tensions between different communities, and the situation in Chechnya and the associated terrorist attacks with resulting hostility towards people from the Caucasus and Central Asia, which takes the form of discrimination and overt racism towards the groups in question.

Committee of Ministers of the Council of EuropeThe Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe builds its work in Russia on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, European document, ratified by Russia in 1998. in May 2007 expressed concern that Russia still has not adopted comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, and the existing anti-discrimination provisions are seldom used in spite of reported cases of discrimination.{{cite web|url=http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/minorities/2._framework_convention_(monitoring)/2._monitoring_mechanism/6._resolutions_of_the_committee_of_ministers/1._country-specific_resolutions/2._second_cycle/PDF_2nd_CM_Res_RussianFederation_eng.pdf|title=Resolution CM/ResCMN(2007)7 on the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by the Russian Federation|work=Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe|date=2 May 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611061429/http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/minorities/2._framework_convention_%28monitoring%29/2._monitoring_mechanism/6._resolutions_of_the_committee_of_ministers/1._country-specific_resolutions/2._second_cycle/PDF_2nd_CM_Res_RussianFederation_eng.pdf|archive-date=11 June 2007 }}

As Gil-Robles noted in 2004, minorities are generally represented on local and regional authorities, and participate actively in public affairs. Gil-Robles emphasized the degree of co-operation and understanding between the various nationalities living in the same area, as well as the role of regional and local authorities in ethnic dialogue and development. Along with that, Committee of Ministers in 2007 noted certain setbacks in minority participation in public life, including the abrogation of federal provisions for quotas for indigenous people in regional legislatures.

Although the Constitution of the Russian Federation recognises Russian as the official language, the individual republics may declare one or more official languages. Most subjects have at least two—Russian and the language of the "eponymous" nationality. As Ministers noted in 2007, there is a lively minority language scene in most subjects of the federation, with more than 1,350 newspapers and magazines, 300 TV channels and 250 radio stations in over 50 minority languages. Moreover, new legislation allows usage of minority languages in federal radio and TV broadcasting.

In 2007, there were 6,260 schools which provided teaching in 38 minority languages. Over 75 minority languages were taught as a discipline in 10,404 schools. Ministers of the Council of Europe have noted efforts to improve the supply of minority language textbooks and teachers, as well as greater availability of minority language teaching. However, as Ministers have noted, there remain shortcomings in the access to education of persons belonging to certain minorities.

There are more than 2,000 national minorities' public associations and 560 national cultural autonomies, however the Committee of Ministers has noted that, in many regions, the amount of state support for the preservation and development of minority cultures is still inadequate. Alvaro Gil-Robles noted in 2004 that there is a significant difference between "eponymous" ethnic groups and nationalities without their own national territory, as resources of the latter are relatively limited.

Russia is also home to a particular category of minority peoples, i.e. small indigenous peoples of the North and Far East, who maintain very traditional lifestyles, often in a hazardous climatic environment, while adapting to the modern world. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation passed legislation to protect the rights of small northern indigenous peoples. Gil-Robles has noted agreements between indigenous representatives and oil companies, which are to compensate for potential damage to people's habitats due to oil exploration. As the Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe noted in 2007, despite some initiatives for development, the social and economic situation of numerically small indigenous peoples was affected by recent legislative amendments at the federal level, removing some positive measures as regards their access to land and other natural resources.

Alvaro Gil-Robles noted in 2004 that, like many European countries, the Russian Federation is also host to many foreigners who, when concentrated in a particular area, make up so-called new minorities, who experience troubles e.g. with medical treatment due to the absence of registration. Those who are registered encounter other integration problems because of language barriers.

The Committee of Ministers noted in 2007 that, despite efforts to improve access to residency registration and citizenship for national minorities, those measures still have not regularised the situation of all concerned.

{{See also|Migrant workers in Russia}}

In October 2002 the Russian Federation has introduced new legislation on legal rights of foreigners, designed to control immigration and clarify foreigners' rights. Despite this legal achievement, as of 2004, numerous foreign communities in Russia faced difficulties in practice (according to Álvaro Gil-Robles).

As of 2007, almost 8 million migrants were officially registered in Russia,{{cite press release|url=http://www.fms.gov.ru/press/publications/news_detail.php?ID=9792|script-title=ru:Выступление директора ФМС России Константина Ромодановского на заседании расширенной коллегии Федеральной миграционной службы, прошедшей 31 января 2008 года|trans-title=Speech by the Director of the Russian Federal Migration Service Konstantin Romodanovsky at a meeting of the expanded board of the Federal Migration Service held on 31 January 2008|language=ru|work=Russian Federal Migration Service|date=13 February 2008|access-date=5 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325213710/http://www.fms.gov.ru/press/publications/news_detail.php?ID=9792|archive-date=25 March 2008}} while some 5-7 million migrants do not have legal status.{{cite press release|url=http://www.fms.gov.ru/press/publications/news_detail.php?ID=9420|script-title=ru:Константин Ромодановский: "Иностранцы строят пол-России, а мы гордимся ее преображением". Интервью директора ФМС России Константина Ромодановского еженедельному журналу "Профиль"|trans-title=Konstantin Romodanovsky: "Foreigners are building a half-Russia, and we take pride in its transformation." Interview with Russian Federal Migration Service Director Konstantin Romodanovsky in weekly magazine "Profile"|language=ru|work=Russian Federal Migration Service|date=8 February 2008|access-date=5 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212221137/http://www.fms.gov.ru/press/publications/news_detail.php?ID=9420|archive-date=12 February 2008}}

Most of foreigners arriving in Russia are seeking jobs. In many cases they have no preliminary contracts or other agreements with a local employer. A typical problem is the illegal status of many foreigners (i.e., they are not registered and have no identity papers), what deprives them of any social assistance (as of 2004) and often leads to their exploitation by the employer. Despite that, foreigner workers still benefit, what with seeming reluctance of regional authorities to solve the problem forms a sort of modus vivendi. As Gil-Robles noted, it's easy to imagine that illegal status of many foreigners creates grounds for corruption. Illegal immigrants, even if they have spent several years in Russia may be arrested at any moment and placed in detention centres for illegal immigrants for further expulsion. As of 2004, living conditions in detention centers are very bad, and expulsion process lacks of funding, what may extend detention of immigrants for months or even years. Along with that, Gil-Robles detected a firm political commitment to find a satisfactory solution among authorities he spoke with.

There's a special case of former Soviet citizens (currently Russian Federation nationals). With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian Federation declared itself a continuation of the Soviet Union and even took the USSR's seat at the UN Security Council. Accordingly, 1991 Nationality Law recognised all former Soviet citizens permanently resident in the Russian Federation as Russian citizens. However, people born in Russia who weren't on the Russian territory when the law came into force, as well as some people born in the Soviet Union who lived in Russia but weren't formally domiciled there weren't granted Russian citizenship. When at 31 December 2003 former Soviet passports became invalid, those people overnight become foreigners, although many of them considered Russia their home. The majority were deprived their de facto status of Russian Federation nationals, they lost their right to remain in Russian Federation, they were even deprived of retirement benefits and medical assistance. Their morale has also been seriously affected since they feel rejected.

Another special case are Meskhetian Turks. Victims of both Stalin deportation from South Georgia and 1989 pogroms in the Fergana valley in Uzbekistan, some of them were eventually dispersed in Russia. While in most regions of Russia Meskhetian Turks were automatically granted Russian citizenship, in Krasnodar Krai some 15,000 Meskhetian Turks were deprived of any legal status since 1991. Unfortunately, even measures taken by Alvaro Gil-Robles in 2004 didn't make Krasnodar authorities to change their position; Vladimir Lukin in the 2005 report called it "campaign initiated by local authorities against certain ethnic groups". The way out for a significant number of Meskhetian Turks in the Krasnodar Krai became resettlement in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.churchworldservice.org/Immigration/archives/2005/09/74.html|title=Meskhetian Turk resettlement: the view from Krasnodar Krai|work=churchworldservice.org|date=19 September 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814234947/http://churchworldservice.org/Immigration/archives/2005/09/74.html|archive-date=14 August 2007}} As Vladimir Lukin noted in 2005, there was similar problem with 5.5 thousand Yazidis who before the disintegration of the USSR moved to the Krasnodar Krai from Armenia. Only one thousand of them were granted citizenship, the others could not be legalized.

In 2006 Russian Federation after initiative proposed by Vladimir Putin adopted legislation which in order to "protect interests of native population of Russia" provided significant restrictions on presence of foreigners on Russian wholesale and retail markets.{{cite web|url=http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2006/10/05/1156_type82913_112091.shtml|title=Opening Address at the Session of the Council for the Implementation of Priority National Projects and Demographic Policy|first=Vladimir|last=Putin|publisher=President of Russia|date=5 October 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012235857/http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2006/10/05/1156_type82913_112091.shtml|archive-date=12 October 2006|quote=I charge the heads of the regions of the Russian Federation to take additional measures to improve trade in the wholesale and retail markets with a view to protect the interests of Russian producers and population, the native Russian population.}}

There was a short campaign of frequently arbitrary and illegal detention and expulsion of ethnic Georgians on charges of visa violations and a crackdown on Georgian-owned or Georgian-themed businesses and organizations in 2006, as a part of 2006 Georgian-Russian espionage controversy.[https://www.hrw.org/news/2007/09/30/russia-targets-georgians-expulsion Russia Targets Georgians for Expulsion]. The Human Rights Watch. 1 October 2007.

Newsweek reported that, "[In 2005] some 300,000 people were fined for immigration violations in Moscow alone. [In 2006], according to Civil Assistance, numbers are many times higher."

{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/state-hate-107003|work=Newsweek|title=State of Hate|first1=Owen|last1=Matthews|first2=Anna|last2=Nemtsova|date=6 November 2006|access-date=16 March 2008}}

A journalist for The Wall Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich, was arrested in March 2023 in Russia on allegations of espionage. The Biden administration identified at least 2 US citizens who are wrongfully detained in Russia.{{cite web |date=27 April 2023 |title=U.S. imposes sanctions on Russia and Iran for wrongful detention and hostage-taking of American citizens|website=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/27/us-imposes-sanctions-on-russia-iran-for-hostage-taking.html}}

{{Main|Antisemitism in Russia|Racism in Russia}}

{{See also|Russia for Russians}}

As Álvaro Gil-Robles noted in 2004, the main communities targeted by xenophobia are the Jewish community, groups originating from the Caucasus, migrants and foreigners.

In his 2006 report, Vladimir Lukin had noted rise of nationalistic and xenophobic sentiments in Russia, as well as more frequent cases of violence and mass riots on the grounds of racial, nationalistic or religious intolerance.{{cite news|first=Anya|last=Ardayeva|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-11-14-voa35.cfm|title=Human Rights Activists: Xenophobia in Russia Becoming Dangerously Common|publisher=VoA|location=Moscow|date=14 November 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115023131/http://voanews.com/english/2006-11-14-voa35.cfm?renderforprint=1&textonly=1&&CFID=60519012&CFTOKEN=31694257|archive-date=15 November 2006}}

Human rights activists point out that 44 people were murdered and close to 500 assaulted on racial grounds in 2006.{{cite news|url=http://www.svoboda.org/content/article/369278.html|script-title=ru:Год нетерпимости: 500 пострадавших, 44 убитых|publisher=Radio Svoboda|language=ru|date=26 December 2006|access-date=16 March 2008 |newspaper=Радио Свобода |last1=Чижова |first1=Любовь }} According to official sources, there were 150 "extremist groups" with over 5000 members in Russia in 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.amnesty.nl/nieuwsportaal/pers/russia-racism-and-xenophobia-rife|title=Russian Federation: Racism and xenophobia rife|publisher=Amnesty International|date=4 May 2006|access-date=5 April 2016}}

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has noted in 2007, that high-level representatives of the federal administration have publicly endorsed the fight against racism and intolerance, and a number of programmes have been adopted to implement these objectives. This has been accompanied by an increase in the number of convictions aimed at inciting national, racial or religious hatred. However, there has been an alarming increase in the number of racially motivated violent assaults in the Russian Federation in four years, yet many law enforcement officials still often appear reluctant to acknowledge racial or nationalist motivation in these crimes. Hate speech has become more common in the media and in political discourse. The situation of persons originating in the Northern Caucasus is particularly disturbing.

Vladimir Lukin noted that inactivity of the law enforcement bodies may cause severe consequences, such as September 2006 inter-ethnic riot in the town in the Republic of Karelia. Lukin noted provocative role of the so-called Movement Against Illegal Immigration. As the result of the Kondopoga events, all heads of the "enforcement bloc" of the republic were fired from their positions, several criminal cases were opened.

According to nationwide opinion poll carried by VCIOM in 2006, 44% of respondents consider Russia "a common house of many nations" where all must have equal rights, 36% think that "Russians should have more rights since they constitute the majority of the population", and 15% think "Russia must be the state of Russian people". However, the question is also what exactly does the term Russian denote. For 39% of respondents Russians are all who grew and were brought up in Russia's traditions; for 23% Russians are those who works for the good of Russia; 15% respondents think that only Russians by blood may be called Russians; for 12% Russians are all for who Russian language is native; for 7% Russians are adepts of Russian Christian Orthodox tradition.{{cite press release|number=603|url=http://wciom.ru/novosti-analitika/press-vypuski/press-vypusk/single/3772.html|script-title=ru:Россия для русских - или для всех?|trans-title=Is Russia for Russians - or for everyone?|language=ru|agency=VCIOM|date=21 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107154710/http://wciom.ru/novosti-analitika/press-vypuski/press-vypusk/single/3772.html|archive-date=7 January 2007}}

According to statistics published by Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2007 in Russia foreign citizens and people without citizenship has committed 50,1 thousand crimes, while the number of crimes committed against this social group was 15985.{{cite web|url=http://www.mvd.ru/stats/10000033/10000147/5194/|script-title=ru:Статистика - Краткая характеристика состояния преступности|trans-title=Statistics - Brief characterisation of the state of crime|language=ru|publisher=Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs|date=8 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215084701/http://www.mvd.ru/stats/10000033/10000147/5194/|archive-date=15 February 2008}}

As reported by the Associated Press, in 2010 SOVA Center noted a significant drop of racially motivated violence in Russia in 2009, related to 2008: "71 people were killed and 333 wounded in racist attacks last [2009] year, down from 110 killed and 487 wounded in 2008." According to a SOVA Center report, the drop was mostly "due to police efforts to break up the largest and most aggressive extremist groups in Moscow and the surrounding region". Most of the victims were "dark-skinned, non-Slavic migrant laborers from former Soviet republics in Central Asia ... and the Caucasus". As Associated Press journalist Peter Leonard commended, "The findings appear to vindicate government claims it is trying to combat racist violence."{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Leonard|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2010/jan/27/rights-group-racist-violence-drops-in-russia/|title=Rights group: Racist violence drops in Russia|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|agency=Associated Press|date=27 January 2010|access-date=26 September 2015}}

Under serious police pressure, the number of racist acts started to decline in Russia from 2009.{{cite book|title=New Russian Nationalism: Imperialism, Ethnicity and Authoritarianism 2000--2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AGqDDwAAQBAJ|first=Pal|last=Kolsto| date=24 March 2016 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press| isbn=9781474410434 }}

In 2016, it was reported that racism in Russia has seen "impressive" decrease in hate crimes.{{cite news |title=Hate Crimes Said Down In Russia As Kremlin Cracks Down On Nationalist Critics |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-sova-hate-crimes-down-nationalist-crackdown/27562759.html |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=19 February 2016}}

{{Main|LGBT rights in Russia}}

{{See also|Gayrussia.ru}}

Neither same-sex marriages nor civil unions of same-sex couples are allowed in Russia. Article 12 of the Family Code de facto states that marriage is a union exclusively between a man and woman.{{cite web|url=http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_8982/e816c719b5266ca4f28f9ae0c236ab2e8520f3e2/|script-title=ru:Семейный кодекс РФ (СК РФ) от 29 December 1995 N 223-ФЗ - действующая редакция от 13 July 2015|trans-title=Family Code of the Russian Federation (FC RF) from 29.12.1995 No. 223-FL - current edition from 07.13.2015|language=ru|work=Consultant.ru|date=13 July 2015|access-date=25 September 2015}}

In June 2013, parliament unanimously adopted the Russian gay propaganda law, banning promotion among children of "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relationships", meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) relationships.{{cite book|chapter-url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014/country-chapters/russia?page=1|title=World Report 2014: Russia: Events of 2013|chapter=World Report 2014: Russia|publisher=Human Rights Watch|date=2014|access-date=26 September 2015}} Violators risk stiff fines, and in the case of foreigners, up to 15 days' detention and deportation. Beginning in 2006, similar laws outlawing "propaganda of homosexuality" among children were passed in 11 Russian regions. Critics contend the law makes illegal holding any sort of public demonstration in favour of gay rights, speak in defence of LGBT rights, and distribute material related to LGBT culture, or to state that same-sex relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.{{cite web|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-signs-blasphemy-and-gay-propaganda-bills/482516.html|title=Putin Signs 'Blasphemy' and 'Gay Propaganda' Bills|publisher=The Moscow Times|date=2 July 2013|access-date=26 September 2015}}

Also in June, parliament passed a law banning adoption of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples and by unmarried individuals from countries where marriage for same-sex couples is legal.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/07/03/russia-putin-gay-adoption/2486913/|title=Russia's Putin signs law limiting adoption by gays|publisher=Usatoday.com|date=3 July 2013|access-date=26 September 2015}} In September, several deputies introduced a bill that would make a parent's homosexuality legal grounds for denial of parental rights. It was withdrawn later for revision.

Homophobic rhetoric, including by officials, and rising homophobic violence accompanied debate about these laws. Three homophobic murders were reported in various regions of Russia in May 2013.{{cite web|first=Vladimir|last=Khitrov|url=http://echo.msk.ru/blog/vladimir_khitrov/1087640-echo/|title=Убийство на Камчатке: гомофобы? быдло?|trans-title=Murder in Kamchatka: homophobes? Rednecks?|language=ru|publisher=Echo.msk.ru|date=3 June 2013|access-date=26 September 2015}}

Vigilante groups, consisting of radical nationalists, and neo-Nazis, lure men or boys to meetings, accuse them of being gay, humiliate and beat them, and post videos of the proceedings on social media. For example, in September 2013 a video showed the rape of an Uzbek migrant in Russia who was threatened with a gun and forced to say he was gay. A few investigations were launched, but have not yet resulted in effective prosecution.{{cite web|first=Aaron|last=Day|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/08/the-20-most-shocking-anti-gay-news-stories-from-russia-so-far/|title=The 20 most shocking anti-gay news stories from Russia so far|publisher=Pinknews.co.uk|date=8 August 2013|access-date=26 September 2015}}

In a report issued on 13 April 2017, a panel of five expert advisors to the United Nations Human Rights Council—Vitit Muntarbhorn, Sètondji Roland Adjovi, Agnès Callamard, Nils Melzer and David Kaye—condemned the wave of torture and killings of gay men in Chechnya.Chan, Anita, China's Workers under Assault: The Exploitation of Labor in a Globalizing Economy, Introduction chapter, M.E. Sharpe. 2001, {{ISBN|0-7656-0358-6}}[http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21501&LangID=E End abuse and detention of gay men in Chechnya, UN human rights experts tell Russia], Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (13 April 2017).

{{See also|Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union|Political abuse of psychiatry in Russia}}

There are numerous cases in which people who are problematic for Russian authorities have been imprisoned in psychiatric institutions during the past several years.{{cite news|first=Adrian|last=Blomfield|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/13/wasylum113.xml|title=Labelled mad for daring to criticise the Kremlin|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=UK|date=14 August 2007|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011142732/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2007%2F08%2F13%2Fwasylum113.xml|archive-date=11 October 2007 }}{{cite news|first=Kim|last=Murphy|url=http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fuj/latimes47.htm|title=Speak Out? Are You Crazy?|agency=Los Angeles Times|date=30 May 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927024321/http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fuj/latimes47.htm|archive-date=27 September 2007}}{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Finn|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901592_pf.html|title=In Russia, Psychiatry Is Again a Tool Against Dissent|newspaper=Washington Post|date=30 September 2006|access-date=7 November 2015}}

Little has changed in the Moscow Serbsky Institute where many prominent Soviet dissidents had been incarcerated after having been diagnosed with sluggishly progressing schizophrenia. This Institute conducts more than 2,500 court-ordered evaluations per year. When war criminal Yuri Budanov was tested there in 2002, the panel conducting the inquiry was led by Tamara Pechernikova, who had condemned the poet Natalya Gorbanevskaya in the past. Budanov was found not guilty by reason of "temporary insanity". After public outrage, he was found sane by another panel that included Georgi Morozov, the former Serbsky director who had declared many dissidents insane in the 1970s and 1980s.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070306212601/http://www.chechentimes.org/en/comments/?id=10108 Psychiatry's painful past resurfaces] - from Washington Post 2002 Serbsky Institute also made an expertise of mass poisoning of hundreds of Chechen school children by an unknown chemical substance of strong and prolonged action, which rendered them completely incapable for many months.{{cite news|first=Marina|last=Litvinovich|author-link=Marina Litvinovich|url=http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/92n/n92n-s10.shtml|script-title=ru:Продолжение расследований Анны Политковской «Массовые отравления в Чечне» - Загадочная болезнь. Идет по дороге, останавливается в школах|trans-title=Continuation of investigation by Anna Politkovskaya "mass poisoning in Chechnya" - An enigmatic disease. It moves along the road, stops at schools|work=Novaya Gazeta|language=ru|date=4 December 2006|access-date=7 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118055005/http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/92n/n92n-s10.shtml|archive-date=18 January 2008|url-status=dead}} The panel found that the disease was caused simply by "psycho-emotional tension".{{cite web|url=http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=416&issue_id=3672|title=What made Chechen schoolchildren ill?|publisher=The Jamestown Foundation|series=CHECHNYA WEEKLY, Volume 7, Issue 13|date=30 March 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190810/http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=416&issue_id=3672|archive-date=30 September 2007}}{{cite news|first=Kim|last=Murphy|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/MNGVJHOKJE1.DTL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060419235917/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F03%2F19%2FMNGVJHOKJE1.DTL&type=printable|archive-date=19 April 2006|work=The San Francisco Chronicle|title=War-related stress suspected in sick Chechen girls|date=7 January 2011|url-status=dead }}

{{Update|section|date=August 2021}}

{{See also|Dima Yakovlev Act}}

Currently, an estimated 2 million children live in Russian orphanages, with another 4 million children on the streets.{{cite web|url=http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article4786|title=Children of Russia - abused, abandoned, forgotten|work=Journal Chretien|date=18 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165041/http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article4786|archive-date=30 September 2007}} According to a 1998 Human Rights Watch report,{{cite web |title=ABANDONED TO THE STATE - CRUELTY AND NEGLECT IN RUSSIAN ORPHANAGES |url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/pdfs/c/crd/russ98d.pdf |access-date=12 July 2009 |publisher=Human Rights Watch}} "Russian children are abandoned to the state at a rate of 113,000 a year for the past two years, up dramatically from 67,286 in 1992. Of a total of more than 600,000 children classified as being 'without parental care', as many as one-third reside in institutions, while the rest are placed with a variety of guardians. From the moment the state assumes their care, orphans in Russia – of whom 95 percent still have a living parent – are exposed to shocking levels of cruelty and neglect." Once officially labelled as retarded, Russian orphans are "warehoused for life in psychoneurological institutions. In addition to receiving little to no education in such institutions, these orphans may be restrained in cloth sacks, tethered by a limb to furniture, denied stimulation, and sometimes left to lie half-naked in their own filth. Bedridden children aged five to seventeen are confined to understaffed lying-down rooms as in the baby houses, and in some cases are neglected to the point of death." Life and death of disabled children in the state institutions was described by writer Rubén Gallego.Ruben Galliego and Marian Schwartz (Translator) White on Black Harcourt 2006. {{ISBN|0-15-101227-X}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.vor.ru/culture/cultarch278_eng.html#2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040121035336/http://www.vor.ru/culture/cultarch278_eng.html#2|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 January 2004|title=Russian culture navigator|date=21 January 2004|access-date=16 December 2017}}

{{Main|Human trafficking in Russia}}

The end of communism and collapse of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia has contributed to an increase in human trafficking, with the majority of victims being women forced into prostitution.{{cite web|title=Trafficking in human beings|url=http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/Files/Themes/trafficking/|publisher=Council of Europe|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214120658/http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/Files/Themes/trafficking/|archive-date=14 February 2008}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3979725.stm|title=A modern slave's brutal odyssey|publisher=BBC News|date=3 November 2004|access-date=16 March 2008}} Russia is a country of origin for persons, primarily women and children, trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Russia is also a destination and transit country for persons trafficked for sexual and labour exploitation from regional and neighbouring countries into Russia and beyond. Russia accounted for one-quarter of the 1,235 identified victims reported in 2003 trafficked to Germany. The Russian government has shown some commitment to combat trafficking but has been criticised for failing to develop effective measures in law enforcement and victim protection.{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005/46616.htm|title=Trafficking in Persons Report|publisher=U.S. Department of State|date=3 June 2005|access-date=16 March 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.catwinternational.org/factbook/Russia.php|title=Russia: Trafficking|publisher=Coalition Against Trafficking of Women|work=The Factbook on Global Sexual Exploitation|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310015511/http://www.catwinternational.org/factbook/Russia.php|archive-date=10 March 2008}}

{{Portal|Russia}}

• Human rights in Asia
• Human rights in Europe
• Freedom of religion in Russia
• Government of Russia
• International Human Rights Film Festival "Stalker", a Russian film festival
• Judiciary of Russia
• Law of Russia
• LGBT rights in Russia
• Moscow Helsinki Group
• Politics of Russia
• Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights
• Prisons in Russia
• Religion in Russia
• Russian war crimes

{{Reflist|group=note}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Gilligan|first=Emma|title=Defending Human Rights in Russia: Sergei Kovalyov, Dissident and Human Rights Commissioner, 1969-2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OfN-AgAAQBAJ|year=2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-34850-3}}
• {{cite book|last=Jordan|first=Pamela A.|title=Defending Rights in Russia: Lawyers, the State, And Legal Reform in the Post-Soviet Era|publisher=University of British Columbia|location=Vancouver|year=2006|isbn=0-7748-1163-3}}
• {{cite book |editor1-last=Mälksoo |editor1-first=Lauri |editor2-last=Benedek |editor2-first=Wolfgang |title=Russia and the European Court of Human Rights: The Strasbourg Effect |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-41573-6 |language=en|date=2017}}
• {{cite book |last1=McAuley |first1=Mary |title=Human Rights in Russia: Citizens and the State from Perestroika to Putin |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-0-85772-585-1 |language=en|date=2015}}
• {{cite book|last=Meier|first=Andrew|title=Black Earth: A Journey Through Russia After the Fall|url=https://archive.org/details/blackearthjourne00meie|url-access=registration|year=2003|publisher=Norton|isbn=978-0-393-05178-0}}
• {{cite book|last=Politkovskaya|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Politkovskaya|title=Putin's Russia|publisher=Harvill Press|location=London|year=2004|isbn=1-84343-050-9}}
• {{cite book|url=http://www.humanrightsfirst.com/defenders/pdf/new-dis-russia-021605.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928131810/http://www.humanrightsfirst.com/defenders/pdf/new-dis-russia-021605.pdf|archive-date=28 September 2007|last=Pyati|first=Archana|title=The New Dissidents: Human Rights Defenders and Counterterrorism in Russia|publisher=Human Rights First|location=New York|year=2005|isbn=0-9753150-0-5}}
• {{cite book|last=Satter|first=David|author-link=David Satter|title=Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i-t6jle71ToC|year=2004|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-10591-9}}
• {{cite book|last=Weiler|first=Jonathan Daniel|title=Human Rights in Russia: A Darker Side of Reform|url=https://archive.org/details/humanrightsinrus0000weil|url-access=registration|year=2004|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|isbn=978-1-58826-279-0}}

• {{cite book|last=Albats|first=Yevgenia|author-link=Yevgenia Albats|title=The State Within a State|year=1994|publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux|isbn=0-374-18104-7|url=https://archive.org/details/statewithinstate00alba}}
• {{cite book|last1=Felshtinsky|first1=Yuri|author-link1=Yuri Felshtinsky|last2=Litvinenko|first2=Alexander|author-link2=Alexander Litvinenko|title=Blowing Up Russia: Terror from Within : Acts of Terror, Abductions, and Contract Killings Organized by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xnIWAQAAIAAJ|year=2002|publisher=S.P.I. Books|isbn=978-1-56171-938-9}}

• {{cite book|last1=Baiev|first1=Khassan|author-link1=Khassan Baiev|last2=Daniloff|first2=Ruth|last3=Daniloff|first3=Nicholas|author-link3=Nicholas Daniloff|title=The Oath: A Surgeon Under Fire|url=https://archive.org/details/oathsurgeonunder00baie|url-access=registration|year=2003|publisher=Walker|isbn=978-0-8027-1404-6}}
• {{cite book|last=Politkovskaya|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Politkovskaya|title=A Dirty War: A Russian Reporter in Chechnya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzAgymN8Q4gC|year=2001|publisher=Harvill|isbn=978-1-86046-897-1}}
• {{cite book|last=Politkovskaya|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Politkovskaya|title=A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya|publisher=University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago|year=2003|isbn=978-0-226-67434-6}}

• [http://eng.ombudsmanrf.org/ Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427161036/https://eng.ombudsmanrf.org/ |date=27 April 2022 }} - Office of Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova. (English translations of some reports are in the [https://web.archive.org/web/20070505033941/http://ombudsman.gov.ru/doc/ezdoc/ index].)
• [https://imrussia.org/en/analysis/3291-how-the-russian-government-uses-anti-extremism-laws-to-fight-opponents How the Russian government uses anti-extremism laws to fight opponents]

{{Human rights in Europe}}

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Category:Politics of Russia

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