Moscow: Amnesty International has been labelled as an ‘undesirable organisation’ by the Russian authorities. According to the law, the involvement with any such ‘undesirable’ organisations, is a criminal offense.
The decision, which was made public online by the office of the Russian Prosecutor General, is the most recent in a relentless campaign against journalists, activists, and opponents of the Kremlin that escalated to previously unheard-of proportions following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.He accused the group of running “Russophobic projects” and activities aimed at Russia’s “political and economic isolation.”
The designation primarily restricts the international human rights group to work in Russia and it subjects those who cooperate with it or support it to prosecution.
The list of ‘undesirable organisations in Russia presently comprises of 223 entities, along with some notable news outlets and human rights organisations.
Launched in 1961, Amnesty International focuses on documenting and reporting the human rights violations around the world, campaigns for the ones which it deems to be unlawfully imprisoned. It has also released significant reports on the Russia Ukraine conflict, accusation of Moscow of crimes against humanity, and raised voice against the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent that has swept up thousands of people in recent years.
The organisation has reportedly refused to provide any further comments on the situation.
