Amnesty International Defiant In Face Of Russian Designation As 'Undesirable Organization'

Amnesty International pledged to redouble its efforts to expose human rights violations in Russia after Moscow labeled the group an "undesirable organization," effectively outlawing it and making it punishable under Russian law to have any association with it.

Russia's Prosecutor General said in a statement on May 19 the move was taken because Amnesty "is the center of preparation of global Russophobic projects."

The 1977 Nobel Peace Prize winner for its "defense of human dignity against torture" and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978 responded to the designation with a defiant statement saying the move was part of a broader government effort "to silence dissent and isolate civil society."

“The authorities are deeply mistaken if they believe that by labelling our organization “undesirable” we will stop our work documenting and exposing human rights violations – quite the opposite," AI's Secretary General Agnes Callamard said in a statement.

"We will not give in to the threats and will continue undeterred to work to ensure that people in Russia are able to enjoy their human rights without discrimination. We will keep documenting and speaking worldwide about the war crimes committed in Ukraine by Russia. We will redouble our efforts to expose Russia’s egregious human rights violations both at home and abroad."

The Prosecutor General also accused Amnesty of "doing everything possible" to help intensify military confrontation, including justifying "the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis."

The Kremlin has repeatedly and falsely claimed Ukraine is run by "radical nationalist" and neo-Nazi groups and uses that as one of the justifications for launching its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

The "undesirable organization" law, adopted in 2015, is a Kremlin-backed regulation on organizations that receive funding from foreign sources.

Russia claims organizations on the list are a threat to the country's national security. However, experts say it is just an attempt by Russian authorities to snuff out any voices that don't align with the Kremlin's views.

Dozens of media outlets, organizations engaged in political, cultural, and educational activities, support for democratic institutions, as well as religious organizations have been put on the list in recent years.

In January 2024, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was placed on the list.

Russian citizens face up to five years in prison for cooperating with "undesirable" organizations or aiding in their financing within Russia.

Amnesty's designation comes three years after Russian authorities blocked access to its websites in Russia and de-registered the organization’s office in Moscow -- effectively closing it down.

The group says the designation puts at risk of prosecution in Russia partner organizations and individual supporters, journalists, other persons who now work with, or are seen by the authorities as supporting or promoting, the organization.