UN Secretary General:
- 14.09.2022 - UN Secretary General Report on reprisals against cooperation with the UN in the field of human rights - highlights negative effects of, for example, the “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations” on the ability of civil society actors to engage with international bodies, including the UN.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk:
- 04.08.2023 - Statement - Raised renewed serious concern about Aleksei Navalny’s new 19-year maximum security prison sentence and called for his release.
- 19.06.2023 - High Commissioner’s global update at HRC53 - urged Russia to “address the serious human rights issues that the country faces, [including] the closing down of civic space; judicial proceedings targeting human rights activists, political opponents and critics; and persistent allegations of torture and ill-treatment.”
- 17.04.2023 - Statement - Condemned the 25-year prison sentence for journalist and opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza and called for his release.
- 07.03.2023 - High Commissioner’s global update at HRC52 - expressed deep concern about the closures of Novaya Gazeta, the Moscow Helsinki Groups as “another sign of the demise of Russia’s civic space;” about growing number (over 180) of criminal cases on war censorship charges, expansion of “foreign agent” legislation, and anti- LGBT+ legislation.
- 26.01.2023 - Statement by UN Human Rights Office spokesperson - condemned liquidation of Moscow Helsinki Group
- 28.10.2022 - Statement by the Spokesperson for the High Commissioner - called on the Russian Duma (parliament) to repeal, not expand, anti-LGBT bill.
- 27.09.2022 - Statement - Expressed deep disturbance at “the large number of people who have reportedly been arrested […] for protesting after the authorities announced a partial mobilization of troops in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine.”
- 12.09.2022 - Statement by UN Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif to HRC51 - urged Russia to “reconsider measures taken to expand the ‘foreign agent’ […] and to criminalize undeclared contacts with representatives of states, foreign or international organizations deemed to be directed against the “security” of the Russian Federation.”
UN Special Procedures mandate holders:
- 28.08.2023 - Statement by four UN Special Rapporteurs - regarding the enforcement of ‘discreditation’ laws, urging Russia’s Constitutional Court to “change course and guarantee freedom of expression” and urging Russian authorities to repeal the ‘discreditation’ law.
- 28.07.2023 - Statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on Russia - called for the immediate release of Vladimir Kara-Murza, citing his deteriorating health which puts his life at risk.
- 17.07.2023 - Statement by two UN Special Rapporteurs - called for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist in detention since March 2023 on espionage charges. Cited Gershkovich’s arrest as “an example of the severe clamp down on freedom of opinion and expression and on independent journalism in Russia.”
- 07.07.2023 - Statement by six UN Special Procedures - urged the Russian Federation to investigate the violent attack against journalist Yelena Milashina and human rights lawyer Alexander Nemov, and bring to justice the perpetrators and those who ordered it.
- 23.06.2023 - Statement by five UN Special Procedures - expressed their concerns over the raids against the Crew Against Torture offices in 3 Russian cities.
- 08.06.2023 - Statement by five UN Special Procedures - urged Russia to drop criminal charges against human rights defender Oleg Orlov, adding that “discreditation of Armed Forces” charges against him are “criminalising public advocacy for peace and attempting to silence the voices of human rights defenders.”
- 10.05.2023 - Statement by 7 UN Special Rapporteurs – expressed distress about Alexei Navalny’s gravely deteriorating health. Also raised cases of 3 imprisoned Navalny supporters.
- 10.03.2023 - Statement by 4 UN Special Procedures - on the recruitment of Russian inmates by the mercenary group Wagner - recalling the Russian state’s “obligation to prohibit private individuals and companies from exploiting the vulnerability of prisoners for profit.”
- 27.01.2023 - Statement by 3 UN Special Procedures on the liquidation of the Moscow Helsinki Group - expressing alarm “over the escalating crackdown against civil society by Russian authorities.”
- 14.09.2022 - UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders - reiterated her calls on the Russian Government to stop the clampdown on human rights defenders.
UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies:
- 28.04.2023 - UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – Concluding Observations on Russia. Expressing deep concern about the unclear definition of “extremist activity” in the Russian Federation. Urges an end to forced mobilization in Russia and calls on the Russian Federation to monitor and combat racist hate speech, racial hatred, and discrimination.
- 04.11.2022 - UN Human Rights Committee - Concluding Observations on Russia (136th session). The Committee expressed its extreme concern about the armed conflict in Ukraine initiated by Russia and deep concerns about violations of rights on the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, a serious concern about the significant human rights violations in the North Caucasus, deep concern about restrictions on freedom of assembly and freedom of association, including provisions on “foreign agents” and “undesirable” organizations and substantial concern about limitations on freedom of expression, in particular with respect to anti-war statements. The Committee also expressed concern at: Russia’s failure to implement the Committee’s Views under the Optional Protocol; racism, xenophobia and racial profiling; discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation and gender identity; domestic violence; sexual violence and harmful traditional practices; prevalence of torture and ill-treatment; harassment, violence and killing of opposition politicians, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders; problems concerning the asylum procedures; ambiguous definitions of “terrorism” and “extremism” in Russian legislation and their application; infringement on indigenous peoples’ rights; undue restrictions on the participation of citizens in electoral processes and 2020 constitutional amendments disproportionately strengthening presidential powers.
- 13.07.2022 - Statement by 5 UN Special Procedures – condemned the continued crackdown on civil society groups, human rights defenders, and media outlets and urged the international community to support Russian civil society and journalists in the country and in exile.
