Damelya Aitkhozhina
Human Rights Watch
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Past articles by Damelya:
Russian Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Environmental Protests
Yesterday, a court in the city of Kolomna, Russia sentenced Viacheslav Yegorov to 15 months in prison for repeatedly taking part in peaceful protests in 2018 against the “import” of trash from Moscow. → Read More
Russia Jails Comedian, Then Expels Him
In an outrageous move, the Russian Interior Ministry announced today it has banned a stand-up comedian, Idrak Mirzalizade, from Russia, for life, over a joke he told which Russian authorities consider insulting to ethnic Russians. → Read More
Russia Jails Comedian, Then Expels Him
In an outrageous move, the Russian Interior Ministry announced today it has banned a stand-up comedian, Idrak Mirzalizade, from Russia, for life, over a joke he told which Russian authorities consider insulting to ethnic Russians. → Read More
EU Should Hold Firm against the Kremlin’s 'Flywheel of Repression'
It’s an important time for the EU to call out the Kremlin for human rights violations committed in Russia. → Read More
New ‘Undesirables’ Law Expands Activists’ Danger Zone
At his post-summit news conference on Wednesday President Putin defended Russia’s repressive laws that punish dissent. → Read More
Russian Activist Targeted Under Abusive 'Undesirable Organization' Law
On May 31, police detained Andrey Pivovarov, forcing him to disembark from an international flight at St Petersburg airport as the plane was preparing to take off. → Read More
Russia Should End Harassment of Opposition Activist
Activist Yuliya Galyamina has been targeted by authorities who are using Covid-19 restrictions to clamp down on opposition figures. → Read More
Russia Closing Down Media Freedoms
April was a terrible month for freedom of expression in Russia. Russian authorities should stop strangling media freedoms. They should end the harassment against Roman Anin and the criminal investigation against DOXA and get rid of the disgraceful “foreign agents” law. They should simply let journalists do their work. → Read More
Russian Court Extends Activist’s Pretrial Detention
A Russian court extended the pretrial detention of activist Mikhail Iosilevich, the first person put behind bars in connection with his prosecution under Russia’s abusive “undesirable foreign organization” law. → Read More
Moscow Police Arrest Nearly 200 on “Undesirable” Charges
The raid marked the largest number of people hit with “undesirable” charges in a single day since the “undesirable organizations” law was adopted in 2015. → Read More
Russian Activist Given Suspended Sentence for ‘Undesirable’ Charges
Today, a Russian court sentenced Anastasiya Shevchenko to a 4-year suspended sentence for affiliation with an “undesirable organization.” This totally unjust ruling exemplifies the persecution civic activists continue to face in Russia. → Read More
Russia Cracks Down on Planned Valentine's Day Protest
Today, Russian authorities threatened to file charges against people who take part in protests scheduled for February 14. → Read More
Another Grim First in “Undesirable” Cases in Russia
Once designated “undesirable” under the law, an organization must cease all activities in Russia, and anyone deemed to be involved with it can be held criminally liable. → Read More
Russia Authorities Target Journalists in Protest Crackdown
Today, a court in Moscow sentenced Sergei Smirnov, editor-in-chief of the independent “Mediazona” news outlet, to 25 days in detention for “repeated violation” of the public assemblies’ rules. → Read More
Russian Court Rules to Jail Navalny
A Moscow court ruled today that Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny had violated the terms of his probation and sent him to prison for 35 years. While not a surprise, the ruling is monstrously unjust, and he should be immediately freed. → Read More
Russian Authorities’ Treatment of Navalny is Escalating the Protests
A Moscow court will decide tomorrow whether the Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, stays in detention. The hearing will take place against a background of two weeks of nationwide protests, record numbers of detentions, a flood of images of injured and detained protesters and journalists, and a flurry of criminal cases. Given Russian courts’ record of ruling in favor of the state, it… → Read More
Russian Activist Spends Two Years Under House Arrest
January 23 marks two years of house arrest for Russian activist Anastasiya Shevchenko. Police raided her apartment in Rostov-on-Don on January 21, 2019, before a court placed her under house arrest two days later. → Read More
Another Political Activist Jailed in Russia
A court in Moscow has sentenced Azat Miftakhov, a postgraduate math student and political activist, to six years in prison on highly controversial hooliganism charges. His conviction follows investigation and a trial marred by allegations of torture, and reliance on unfair “secret witnesses.” → Read More
Another Political Activist Jailed in Russia
A court in Moscow has sentenced Azat Miftakhov, a postgraduate math student and political activist, to six years in prison on highly controversial hooliganism charges. His conviction follows investigation and a trial marred by allegations of torture, and reliance on unfair “secret witnesses.” → Read More
Environmental Work Can Be Undesirable in Russia
A healthy environment has become a major topic for public debate globally, particularly in the context of climate change, and Russia is no exception. The authorities clearly understand that. → Read More