The Human Rights Watch report titled "Russia: War's Supersized Repression," published on January 12, 2023, provides a detailed analysis of the escalation of repression in Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The report covers various aspects of this crackdown, including censorship laws, suppression of dissent, and discriminatory legislation.
-
War Censorship and Suppression of Dissent: The Russian government introduced a range of new laws to impose war censorship. These laws carried severe penalties for acts such as referring to the conflict in Ukraine as a “war,” criticizing the invasion of Russian military conduct, and reporting war crimes by Russian forces. This move significantly stifled public opposition, criticism of the government, and any form of social nonconformity.
-
International Condemnation and Domestic Response: Russia faced international repercussions such as suspension from the United Nations Human Rights Council and expulsion from several other international bodies. Domestically, the government adopted a “besieged fortress” mentality, propagating rhetoric about malevolent foreign influence and limiting foreign contacts reminiscent of Soviet-era policies.
-
Legislation Targeting 'Foreign Agents' and Activists: New laws expanded the scope of legislation that labels individuals or groups as “foreign agents.” This included criminal provisions for “confidential cooperation” with international organizations, equating such actions to high treason and broadening the grounds for imprisoning activists.
-
Targeting of Opposition Figures: Notably, opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza was charged with treason solely for criticizing the Kremlin and Russia’s actions in Ukraine, marking an escalation in the targeting of dissenting voices.
-
Violent Crackdown on Peaceful Protests: Law enforcement agencies responded to anti-war protests with violence, mass arrests, and criminal prosecutions. Hundreds of criminal cases were opened on charges of “false information” or “discrediting” Russian armed forces, leading to imprisonment and fines for thousands of individuals.
-
Media Censorship and Departure of Foreign Media: Independent Russian and foreign media outlets accelerated their departure from Russia post-invasion due to concerns for journalists’ security. The Russian government continued to censor online content, misusing its authority to block criticism.
-
Discrimination and Homophobic Rhetoric: The report also notes proposed legislation that would further discriminate based on sexual orientation, along with an increase in homophobic and anti-migrant rhetoric by Russian authorities.
-
Closure of NGO Offices: Russian authorities revoked the registration of 15 foreign NGOs, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, forcing them to close their offices in Russia.
-
Abuse of Counterterrorism Laws: The government used counterterrorism and counter-extremism laws to target political opposition, dissenters, and religious minorities. Bogus criminal cases were opened against opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his supporters.
-
Extremism Designations: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, was labeled as “extremist,” and individuals were prosecuted for alleged affiliation with designated “terrorist” or “extremist” religious organizations.
-
Actions of Chechen Authorities: In Chechnya, dissent was brutally suppressed under the leadership of Ramzan Kadyrov, who encouraged actions amounting to war crimes.
-
Environmental Concerns: The report also touches on Russia's environmental impact, highlighting its status as one of the top 10 emitters of greenhouse gases and the occurrence of massive forest fires in 2022.