From Human Rights Watch

The Russian government relentlessly reduced space for peaceful dissent, political opposition, and civic activism in Russia during 2018, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2019.

The authorities used the rhetoric of “traditional values” and countering extremism to justify limiting free speech. Many human rights defenders, civic activists, lawyers, opposition activists, and average citizens paid a price for not conforming to the government’s political agenda.

“Russia’s human rights situation is getting bleaker with every passing year,” said Tanya Lokshina, associate Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Russian activists have withstood tremendous government pressure and continue to defend dignity and fundamental rights, but it gets harder and harder.”

In the 674-page World Report 2019, its 29th edition, Human Rights Watch reviewed human rights practices in more than 100 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth says that the populists spreading hatred and intolerance in many countries are spawning a resistance. New alliances of rights-respecting governments, often prompted and joined by civic groups and the public, are raising the cost of autocratic excess. Their successes illustrate the possibility of defending human rights – indeed, the responsibility to do so – even in darker times.

Full report found here.