UN: Human rights crisis continues in Russia

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur and express our full support for the renewal of the Special Rapporteur's mandate at this session. Since the adoption of the last resolution at the 54th Session, the human rights situation in Russia has continued to deteriorate rapidly, underscoring the critical need to extend this mandate.

Russia ranks towards the bottom of ARTICLE 19's Global Expression Report index, at position 141 out of 161 countries. The right to freedom of expression remains heavily repressed, with numerous individuals prosecuted under so-called 'war censorship' laws. Other laws targeting so-called 'extremism', 'foreign agents', and 'undesirable organisations' are routinely used to harass media outlets, depriving them of funding and forcing many to cease operations. Independent media has now largely been driven out of the country, while journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society actors face increasing repression, both within the country and in exile.

The government's stranglehold on freedom of expression extends to online platforms, with increasing censorship targeting services such as YouTube and Signal, and a crackdown on VPNs.

In January 2024, the Russian authorities designated ARTICLE 19 as an 'undesirable organisation', further highlighting the government's desire to avoid accountability for its repeated and long-standing violations of freedom of expression. This action is emblematic of the broader repression targeting any entity that seeks to uphold fundamental human rights in Russia.

We urge the Russian authorities to immediately repeal the legislation on 'undesirable organisations' and other laws restricting freedom of expression.

We urge the Council to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur so that these critical issues can continue to be addressed. It is essential that the Russian authorities face scrutiny and accountability for these ongoing violations of the right to freedom of expression and other human rights.

Warning: The Russian authorities designated ARTICLE 19 as an 'undesirable organisation' on 8 February 2024. While the 'undesirable' designation can be seen as a marker of recognition of ARTICLE 19's work to promote freedom of expression, we understand that it also carries significant risks for those who engage with our work. Under Russian legislation, an ill-defined and overbroad notion of 'participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation' incurs the risk of administrative and criminal prosecution. We also understand that sharing and storing this statement in Russia can be considered a prosecutable offence and may lead to the imposition of fines and other sanctions.