Russia bans the non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch from operating on its territory

Russia on Friday added Human Rights Watch (HW) to its list of “undesirable” organizations, barring the New York-based organization from operating on its soil. Russia did not give a reason for this decision, and Human Rights Watch, which was forced to close its offices in the country in 2022, had not commented on this step at the time of writing the article.

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Since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine in February 2022, the country’s Ministry of Justice has banned dozens of groups that criticize Kremlin policy or Moscow’s behavior in the war.

Human Rights Watch, which investigates and publishes reports on violations committed by military personnel and governments around the world, has repeatedly condemned the war and accuses the Russian army of carrying out “a series of violations,” an accusation that Moscow denies.

Russia is recreating its own version of Eurovision

Artists from more than 20 countries participated in the Soviet-era music competition - Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP

The event was created at the time to compete with Eurovision and its Western values "decadent" – Photography: Olesya Kurbaeva/Agence France-Presse

The competition resumed in February on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin - Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP — 4 of 13
The competition resumed in February on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin – Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP

Russia is currently banned from Eurovision as part of sanctions imposed over its attack in Ukraine - Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP — 5 of 13
Russia is currently banned from Eurovision as part of sanctions imposed over its attack in Ukraine – Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP

Artists from 23 countries have registered to participate - Photo: Olesya Kurbaeva/AFP — 6 of 13
Artists from 23 countries have registered to participate – Photo: Olesya Kurbaeva/AFP

Each artist sang in their mother tongue, and the winner was chosen by an international jury - Photograph: Olesya Kurbaeva/AFP — 7 of 13
Each artist sang in their mother tongue, and the winner was chosen by an international jury – Photograph: Olesya Kurbaeva/AFP

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No EU country sent participants to Intervision – Photo: Olesya Kurpyayeva/AFP

The number of viewers for the program may reach one billion, according to the channel's general director, Piervi Kanal - Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP — 9 of 13
The number of viewers for the program may reach one billion, according to the channel’s general director, Piervi Kanal – Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP

BRICS partners such as Brazil, India, China and South Africa are some of the participants - Photograph: Olesya Kurbaeva/AFP — 10 of 13
BRICS partners such as Brazil, India, China and South Africa are some of the participants – Photograph: Olesya Kurbaeva/AFP

The countries represent a total of more than 4 billion people, according to organizers - Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP — 11 of 13
The countries represent a total of more than 4 billion people, according to organizers – Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP

First organized in 1965, Intervision was originally a festival for the Soviet Union and its satellite states - Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP — 12 of 13
First organized in 1965, Intervision was originally a festival for the Soviet Union and its satellite states – Photograph: Olesya Kurpiyeva/AFP

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After being suspended in 1968 and resumed in 1977, it ceased to exist in the early 1990s, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union. – Photography: Olesya Kurbaeva/Agence France-Presse

Brazil is one of more than 20 Intervision participants

Other organizations designated as “undesirable” in Russia include the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Greenpeace, Transparency International and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The designation means that anyone who cooperates with the group or donates money to it could be prosecuted in Russia.