Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

The Russian government has officially banned Amnesty International, labeling the global human rights watchdog an “undesirable organization” for its outspoken support of Ukraine and criticism of Moscow’s human rights record. The move has sparked condemnation from the organization, which pledged to intensify its efforts to expose abuses committed by Russian authorities.

Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office accused Amnesty’s London headquarters of operating as a hub for “Russophobic projects” and claimed the group was promoting narratives that favored Ukraine while “justifying war crimes” allegedly committed by Kyiv. The statement also alleged that Amnesty was working to isolate Russia on the world stage and escalate military tensions.

The ban means any Russian citizen found cooperating with or funding Amnesty International could face criminal prosecution and up to five years in prison. Under Russia’s controversial “undesirable organizations” law, the state has already blacklisted numerous foreign NGOs, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Greenpeace.

Amnesty was first targeted by Moscow in 2022, when Russian authorities blocked access to the organization’s website and shut down its Moscow office. The group has since continued its work remotely, documenting alleged abuses by Russian forces in Ukraine and systemic rights violations within Russia.

Amnesty also criticized the very law used to ban it, arguing it contravenes international human rights standards. Russia, however, maintains that its laws are sovereign and take precedence over international conventions.

Kremlin officials maintain that groups like Amnesty International serve as tools of Western influence and routinely publish biased, inaccurate reports designed to undermine Russia. Russian authorities have consistently argued that Western rights groups ignore abuses in their own countries while unfairly targeting Moscow.