Latest News
Luzhkov Calls Ban on Gay Parades ‘An Axiom’
Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov stated Monday that his opposition to gay parades in Moscow should be considered “an axiom,” promising to continue to ban attempts to hold what he called “satanic activities.”
25Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Luzhkov Calls Ban on Gay Parades ‘An Axiom’ | Continued
Village Residents ‘To Stand Until Death’ Against Demolitions (updated 1/26)
Residents in the rural Moscow village of Rechnik have pledged to use any means necessary to stop police from evicting them in order to demolish their homes, set to continue on Monday morning after a weekend moratorium.
24Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Village Residents ‘To Stand Until Death’ Against Demolitions (updated 1/26) | Continued
‘YouTube Cop’ Detained Per Court Order
Aleksei Dymovsky, Russia’s so-called “YouTube Cop” who posted videos exposing police corruption in Russia on the internet in November, has been placed in a detention center per court order.
23Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on ‘YouTube Cop’ Detained Per Court Order | Continued
HRW: Russian Civil Society Continues to Deteriorate
An annual report by Human Rights Watch concludes that the human rights situation in Russia continued to deteriorate in 2009, laying blame on government authorities for enabling further violations and making empty rhetorical statements.
22Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on HRW: Russian Civil Society Continues to Deteriorate | Continued
Prison Guard Fired for Being Buddhist
A prison guard in Nizhny Novgorod is claiming that he was fired because prison officials were scared of him for being a Buddhist, citing Buddhist swastika iconography and his abstention from using alcohol and tobacco.
20Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Prison Guard Fired for Being Buddhist | Continued
600 Participate in Memorial March for Slain Lawyer
Approximately 600 people turned out for a memorial march and rally for slain lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova in Moscow on Tuesday, marking a year since their deaths.
19Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on 600 Participate in Memorial March for Slain Lawyer | Continued
Court Case Begins Against Kostroma Activist
A court case has begun in the city of Kostroma against an activist who investigators allege is guilty of extremism for language in a political pamphlet, despite the fact that federal experts found no such evidence.
18Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Court Case Begins Against Kostroma Activist | Continued
Russian Government Introduces New Legislation to Hinder Protests
Rights activists and opposition leaders are decrying two new moves by the Russian government to crack down on rallies and demonstrations by increasing paperwork, fines, and jail time for protesters.
17Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Russian Government Introduces New Legislation to Hinder Protests | Continued
Russia Becomes Last to Ratify Strasbourg Protocol
The Russian State Duma has become the last member country to ratify a protocol to reform the European Court of Human Rights after a three year delay, a decision analysts are saying is likely political.
15Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Russia Becomes Last to Ratify Strasbourg Protocol | Continued
Electoral Commission Chairman Proposes Scrapping System
The head of the Moscow Electoral Commission has proposed scrapping Russia’s systematically flawed electoral legislation and starting over from scratch.
14Jan2010 | R J | Comments Off on Electoral Commission Chairman Proposes Scrapping System | Continued