The Britain-based human rights organization accuses Russian authorities of targeting human rights activists, independent organizations and journalists, several of whom died under suspicious circumstances.
In a report, released Tuesday, February 26, Amnesty noted that under President Vladimir Putin, the Russian government has introduced more restrictive laws and other measures to crackdown on dissidents in the country.
The organization said all the fundamental rights of Russian people such as freedom of expression, association and assembly have been curtailed. It added to concerns among Russian Christians and missionaries, who have especially complained about a lack of religious freedom, saying several evangelical churches have been destroyed or closed down by authorities as they operate outside the official Russian Orthodox Church.
CRITICAL VIEWS
Amnesty’s Russia researcher, Victoria Webb, told BosNewsLife and the Voice Of America (VOA) network that it has become increasingly difficult for Russians to express views critical of the government.
"We are saying that the space for human rights activists, independent organizations and media to operate in Russia and to express critical views has been gradually and progressively curtailed in recent years,” she said.
“And obviously we have the presidential elections coming up this weekend and we, Amnesty International, have seen during the pre-election campaigns both of the parliamentary and the presidential campaigns, a worsening in the situation."
OPPOSITION FIGURE
Garry Kasparov, a leading opposition figure and former world chess champion who was briefly detained during anti-Kremlin protests, shares her concerns. "The current elections have been turned into a complete farce,” he added.
“Apart from [Dmitry] Medvedev, who is not taking part in any pre-election campaigning and the curly-haired clown (referring to Democratic leader Andrei Bogdanov), we have [Gennardy] Zyuganov and [Vladimir] Zhirinovsky, who are doing their best to demonstrate their good relationship with the Kremlin and clearly working on increasing the turnout," Kasparov said.
Researcher Webb noted that the situation has been complicated by authorities closing down non-governmental organizations on grounds they are a threat for national security and Russian values. She is particularly concerned about attacks against independent journalists.
"There have been many instances of killings of journalists. Certainly It seems that the space for journalists — for independent journalists — to publish their views is shrinking."
"SLOW PROGRESS"
She explained that that Amnesty International is especially monitoring what she calls the "slow progress" of the investigation into the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006.
Politkovskaya, a known Kremlin critic, was killed after she investigated the conduct of Russian troops in the country’s volatile Chechnya region.
The Kremlin and the Russian foreign ministry did not immediately Comment on Amnesty’s report. But in the past, President Putin rejected international criticism that he has been rolling back post-Soviet freedoms and blamed the West for trying to undermine Russia.
In a related development, the president of the former Soviet republic of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Tuesday warned that Russia could be sliding into dictatorship as Germany did soon after World War I.
MISSIONARIES WATCHING
Russian Ministries, a major mission group, shares some of those concerns. It told BosNewsLife that the pro-Putin, "anti-Western youth movement, Nashi, plans to double its membership this year."
The group, which reportedly destroyed several evangelical churches, has plans to establish regional centers and to promote a patriotic children’s club called "Mishki" or bear cubs, Russian Ministries said.
"Nashi members support the presidential campaign of Dmitry Medvedev in the March 2 presidential election. Medvedev is Vladimir Putin’s handpicked successor, and the Nashi movement maintains its loyalty to Putin and his agenda."
Yet in Kaluga region, where Nashi youth recently vandalized two churches, Russian Ministries’ partners managed to "reaching out to needy children and their families," the group said, adding that some 400 gift boxes were distributed, containing sweets, gifts and a Bible. "In addition to the presents and festivities, the children heard the good news that God had sent His Son to earth." (BosNewsLife’s NEWS WATCH covers crucial news developments impacting the Church and/or compassionate professionals. Parts of this BosNewsLife News story also airs on the Voice of America network. www.voanews.com).
