On Monday, Russian officials classified Amnesty International as an “undesirable” organization, a designation that could lead to severe prison sentences for individuals associated with the human rights organization.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office remarked, “The London-based headquarters of Amnesty International Limited operates as a training hub for international projects that are anti-Russian, funded by supporters of the Kyiv regime.”
The government had previously closed Amnesty International’s local office in April 2022, shortly after President Vladimir Putin commenced the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
This “undesirable” classification effectively prohibits the human rights group from functioning within Russia and places its staff and associates at risk of criminal charges.
Since the enactment of this law in 2015, Russia has utilized the “undesirable” label to target independent media, opposition groups, and foreign entities.
In their statement this Monday, the Prosecutor General’s Office accused Amnesty International of promoting “heightened military conflict” in Ukraine.
“Since the inception of the special military operation, Amnesty International activists have defended the actions of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, called for increased funding for them, and advocated for the political and economic isolation of our nation,” officials stated.
In response to these claims, Amnesty International issued a statement later on Monday to The Moscow Times, asserting that it would “not succumb to intimidation” and would persist in its mission to ensure “that individuals in Russia enjoy their human rights without discrimination.”
“The authorities are gravely mistaken if they think that labeling our organization as ‘undesirable’ will halt our work in documenting and revealing human rights abuses,” the group emphasized. “No authoritarian repression will silence our pursuit of justice.”
Being affiliated with an “undesirable” organization can lead to a maximum prison term of four years, with leaders facing potential sentences of up to six years.
Currently, Russia’s Justice Ministry has over 200 organizations listed as “undesirable,” including The Moscow Times, which received this designation last summer.
