Russia

Moscow authorities ban Gay Pride

Emerson — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:16:21 +0100

Moscow’s Deputy Mayor told the event organiser, Nikolai Alekseyev, and confirmed to Amnesty International, that his application to hold the event had been rejected due to the large number of objections it had received from members of the public.

In October 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia had violated the right to freedom of assembly of activists seeking to hold pride events in Moscow in recent years.

Source: Moscow authorities ban Gay Pride

FREEDOM ENOUGH

Dean Omori — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:52:05 +0100

BBC News - Russia enshrines ban on death penalty

Wily Fox — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:27:08 +0000

Russia's ban on the death penalty will remain when a current legal suspension expires on 1 January, the country's Constitutional Court has ruled.

Source: BBC News - Russia enshrines ban on death penalty

Africans 'under siege' in Moscow

Niluccio — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:32:02 +0100

Nearly 60% of black and African people living in Russia's capital Moscow have been physically assaulted in racially motivated attacks, says a new study.

Africans working or studying in the city live in constant fear of attack, according to the report by the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy.

Source: Africans 'under siege' in Moscow

Gang kills seven in Russian sauna

Niluccio — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:22:50 +0100

Russian police are hunting gunmen who killed seven women at a sauna and four policemen at a checkpoint in the troubled southern region of Dagestan.

Source: Gang kills seven in Russian sauna

Russians to boost Abkhazia bases

Niluccio — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:59:32 +0100

Russia is to spend almost $500m (£300m) next year reinforcing its military bases in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, the prime minister says.

Vladimir Putin's announcement came as he visited the region for talks.

Source: Russians to boost Abkhazia bases

Who shot Russian human-rights campaigner Natalia Estemirova? | World news | The Guardian

DrPot — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:36:43 +0100

It should have been a brief trip. Last Wednesday, Natalia Estemirova, known to her friends as Natasha, left her flat in the Chechen capital, Grozny, and set off towards the bus stop. Usually, it took her 15-20 minutes to get to work – a bumpy ride in a shared No 55 mini-van, down an avenue of green tower blocks, past giant posters of Chechnya's warlord president Ramzan Kadyrov, and several of Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin.
On this occasion, she didn't make it. A hundred metres beyond the entrance of her 10th-floor flat – which overlooks a patch of grassy wasteland and a grove of shabby walnut trees – four gunmen were waiting.

Source: Who shot Russian human-rights campaigner Natalia Estemirova? | World news | The Guardian

Rights group halts Chechnya work

DrPot — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:21:40 +0100

The Russian human-rights group Memorial has suspended its activities in Chechnya following the murder of its prominent activist Natalia Estemirova.
"We cannot risk the lives of our colleagues even if they are ready to carry on their work," senior Memorial member Alexander Cherkasov said.
Ms Estemirova, who investigated alleged abuses by Chechnya's Moscow-backed government, was shot dead on Wednesday.
The Kremlin condemned the murder, which has caused international concern.

Source: Rights group halts Chechnya work

From beyond the grave: A searing indictment of Putin's protegé

Niluccio — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:50:04 +0100

The abductions in Chechnya started nearly a decade ago. In 2000, Russian forces took control of practically the entire territory of the republic, and started extensive mop-up operations in villages.

Source: From beyond the grave: A searing indictment of Putin's protegé

The murder of Natalia Estemirova is a dire warning

Niluccio — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:19:21 +0100

Our Russia research team say there used to be three key people when it came to uncovering human rights abuses in Chechnya - the journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the lawyer Stanislav Markelov, and the human rights researcher Natalia Estemirova.

Source: The murder of Natalia Estemirova is a dire warning

Natalia Estemirova: Award-winning human rights campaigner murdered in Chechnya

matthewjamesbeard — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:33:56 +0100

Russia's human rights record tonight came under severe criticism after one of the country's most famous human rights campaigners was abducted from her home in Chechnya and brutally murdered.

Source: Natalia Estemirova: Award-winning human rights campaigner murdered in Chechnya

Russian activist found murdered

DrPot — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:01:47 +0100

A prominent Russian human rights activist, Natalia Estemirova, has been found dead in the North Caucasus.
She was bundled into a van and abducted as she left her home in Chechnya on Wednesday morning, a colleague said. Her body was found in Ingushetia.
The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed "outrage" at the murder, and ordered a top-level investigation.
Ms Estemirova had been investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya for the independent Memorial group.

Source: Russian activist found murdered

Russian activist 'found murdered'

Niluccio — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:10:03 +0100

A prominent Russian human rights activist, Natalia Estemirova, has been found dead in the North Caucasus.

She was bundled into a van and abducted as she left her home in Chechnya on Wednesday morning, a colleague said. Her body was found in Ingushetia.

Source: Russian activist 'found murdered'

Russian sharks are feeding on their own blood

Niluccio — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:08:39 +0100

When presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev met on Monday for their first major summit, the main agenda items were arms control and Iran, and progress was made on the former, at least. This may encourage those who believe these issues can be dealt with in isolation from other challenges to US-Russia relations.

Source: Russian sharks are feeding on their own blood

Russia loosens clasp on NGOs ahead of Obama visit

Niluccio — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:42:25 +0100

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin eased some restrictions on Russian NGOs on Friday ahead of a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, in the first major move to strengthen civil society since President Dmitry Medvedev took office.

Source: Russia loosens clasp on NGOs ahead of Obama visit

Human Rights in Russia

sara_h — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:04:36 +0100

Ibragim Gazdiev's father speaks out

benc — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:39:51 +0100

Missing for 616 days - where is Ibragim Gazdiev ? Part 1

sara_h — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:22:15 +0100

Missing for 616 days - where is Ibragim Gazdiev ? Part 1

sara_h — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:18:35 +0100

Where is Ibragim ? Send us your pics

Clemento — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:15:47 +0000

Where is Ibragim ? Send us your pics

Clemento — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:55:19 +0000

Ibragim Gazdiev was 29 when he was reportedly seized by armed men in camouflage on 8 August 2007 in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia.

It is Ibragim's 31st Birthday on 15 April 2009. On this day we want to go to the Russian embassy in London and ask where he is.

For this we need your help ! Send us your pics !

Source: Where is Ibragim ? Send us your pics

Where is Ibragim ? Send us your pics

sara_h — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:00:18 +0000

Ibragim Gazdiev was 29 when he was reportedly seized by armed men in camouflage on 8 August 2007 in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia.

It is Ibragim's 31st Birthday on 15 April 2009. On this day we want to go to the Russian embassy in London and ask where he is.

For this we need your help ! Send us your pics !

Source: Where is Ibragim ? Send us your pics

Johann Hari: We can't allow Russia's dissidents to be killed on Europe's streets

Niluccio — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:25:53 +0000

The critics of Vladimir Putin – Russia's Prime Minister and former KGB agent – have a strange habit of being found shot or stabbed or poisoned. This week, I met a man who is half-expecting an assassin's bullet – here, in London.

Source: Johann Hari: We can't allow Russia's dissidents to be killed on Europe's streets

Politkovskaya suspects acquitted

DrPot — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:59:15 +0000

A Russian court has acquitted three men accused of aiding the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006.
The court in Moscow handed down "not guilty" verdicts on brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov and ex-police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov.
A third brother, Rustam, is accused of the actual murder and remains at large.
Russian prosecutors said they would appeal against the verdicts delivered by the jury.

Source: Politkovskaya suspects acquitted

Who is pulling the trigger?

Niluccio — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:05:03 +0000

A soft snow had fallen on Moscow. In the upmarket district of Kropotkinskaya, a white layer had crusted the statue of the German philosopher Friedrich Engels, settling on his shoulders. Outside the posh boulangeries and cafes, and on the giant dome of St Saviour's cathedral, whiteness had descended. Nearby, the Kremlin's ochre walls and towers sparkled.

Source: Who is pulling the trigger?

Who is behind the latest in a long list of mysterious murders in Russia?

vero — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:40:13 +0000

The shooting of a human rights lawyer in Moscow last week is just the latest in a long list of mysterious murders of Kremlin adversaries.

Source: Who is behind the latest in a long list of mysterious murders in Russia?

Global Voices Online » Russia: Lawyer Markelov and Journalist Baburova Shot Dead in Moscow

vero — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:39:12 +0000

Many Russian bloggers reacted with shock and outrage to the broad-daylight shootings of Markelov and Baburova. Below are some of the initial responses, translated from Russian.

Source: Global Voices Online » Russia: Lawyer Markelov and Journalist Baburova Shot Dead in Moscow

Amnesty Blogs: From Belarus to Uzbekistan : There is no rule of law

vero — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:22:31 +0000

Stanislav Markelov, lawyer and human rights defender was shot dead in the centre of Moscow as he prepared to appeal again against the early release of a Russian former colonel sentenced for the murder of a Chechen girl.

Anastasia Baburova, a young journalist from the newspaper Novaya Gazeta, wounded in the same attack, has since died.

Source: Amnesty Blogs: From Belarus to Uzbekistan : There is no rule of law

Anyone harming Russia should be exterminated, says Andrei Lugovoy

Niluccio — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:57:32 +0000

The Kremlin has hardened its stance against dissent in Russia by expanding the definition of treason to include critics of the state.

A new Bill submitted to the Duma, the Russian parliament, on Friday will leave people vulnerable to prosecution for acts considered to threaten not only national security but also the country's constitutional order. Critics said that it was designed to intimidate opposition to the Kremlin at a time of rising economic discontent.

Source: Anyone harming Russia should be exterminated, says Andrei Lugovoy

Moscow racist murder gang jailed

Niluccio — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:53:45 +0000

A group of racist skinheads who carried out 18 brutal murders in Russia's capital Moscow have been sentenced to jail terms of between six and 20 years.

The gang of seven targeted non-Slavic migrants in the city between August 2006 and October 2007.

Many of the attackers were minors at the time. Besides killing 18 people, they also tried to murder another 12, the court heard.

The group posted video of some of their crimes on the internet.

The heaviest jail term was handed to Roman Kuzin, who received 20 years in jail.

Artur Ryno and his gang are the extreme, dangerous face of generation who have grown up in an ideological vacuum

Source: Moscow racist murder gang jailed