Rule of fear: silencing dissent and anti-war expression in the Russian Federation in the name of national security
Situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova (A/80/32)
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur examines how public safety and national security legislation in the Russian Federation is abused as a tool in its strategy for suppressing dissent and anti-war expression. The inconsistencies between domestic laws related to counter-terrorism, extremism, espionage and treason, and binding international human rights obligations, including violations of the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality, are outlined. The Special Rapporteur reveals an alarming escalation since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022, marked by the abuse of legislation and judicial harassment targeting civil society actors, journalists, lawyers, political figures and ordinary citizens expressing views critical of the war. The report contains evidence of widespread and systematic arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment, deaths in custody, incommunicado detention and prosecution of prisoners of war and civilian Ukrainians, held by the Russian authorities on counter-terrorism, espionage and treason charges. The Special Rapporteur provides recommendations for the Russian authorities and the international community