Russia Bans Amnesty International Over Human Rights Work

Amnesty International has just been banned in Russia after being labelled an “undesirable organisation,” a designation often reserved for groups that challenge the Kremlin’s narratives. According to Reuters reporters Guy Faulconbridge and Felix Light, Russian authorities accused the London-based group of promoting “Russophobic projects” and supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Founded in 1961, Amnesty has long been a global voice for human rights, especially for those imprisoned for their beliefs or activism. The Russian prosecutor general went as far as claiming that Amnesty was intensifying military conflict by justifying Ukrainian actions and promoting Russia’s isolation.

In response, Amnesty’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said the ban is a badge of honor. “You must be doing something right if the Kremlin bans you,” she stated, promising to intensify efforts to highlight Russian human rights abuses. Amnesty also stressed that the Russian law used to justify the ban breaches international law.

This move follows previous bans on Greenpeace and U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. It also extends a broader Russian crackdown on civil society, where citizens face up to five years in prison for working with banned organisations. Since 2022, Amnesty’s website has been blocked in Russia and its Moscow office was forced to shut down.

Russia claims Western groups are biased and part of an anti-Russian information war. But rights groups argue that Putin’s government is simply silencing dissent and returning to Soviet-style repression.

It’s clearer than ever that standing up for truth and justice in authoritarian states comes at a cost. Let’s Support organisations like Amnesty International that continue to speak out for those who can’t. Upholding human rights should never be a crime—no matter what Putin says.

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