Russian society is atomised Russia is home to members of various indigenous peoples. For example, the Itelmen in Kamchatka. Itelmen human rights activist Dmitry Berezhkov, who lives in exile in Norway, explains how they are oppressed in Vladimir Putin's empire. BY MICHAEL LEH Dmitry Berezhkov comes from the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East of the Russian Federation. The 47-year-old belongs to the small indigenous Itelmen people, of whom only about 2,500
1,461 women persecuted by Putin's regime in Russia A picture of Russian reality on International Women's Day Of these, 634 are currently deprived of their liberty. Today, attempts to regain freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the right to participate in the political life of the country sometimes come at a very high price. Of these, only 215 are either recognised as political prisoners or included in Memorial's lists
24 February 2026 — the next anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The illustration was created with the help of AI. Over the course of four years, the war has not only changed the architecture of European security, but has also become one of the most documented humanitarian disasters of the 21st century. Its main outcome has been tens of thousands of civilian casualties,
Russia Builds a Digital Iron Curtain: WhatsApp Accuses Authorities of Attempting Full Block Amid Push for State Messenger MAX Russia is moving closer to erecting a new kind of Iron Curtain — not of concrete and barbed wire but of code and surveillance. WhatsApp has accused Russian authorities of attempting to fully block the messenger as part of efforts to push users toward a state-controlled alternative vulnerable to
North Korea Builds Housing for Families of Soldiers Killed in Russia’s War Against Ukraine According to a report by Deutsche Welle (DW), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inaugurated a newly constructed housing district in Pyongyang for the families of soldiers who died during overseas military deployments — widely understood to refer to North Korean troops sent to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. DW, citing the state news
On 16 February 2026, at least 19 people were detained at memorial events marking the anniversary of Alexei Navalny's murder. Flowers on Alexei Navalny's grave. Photo: "Navalny's Team" Citizens brought flowers, candles and photographs to memorial sites, including Borisovskoye Cemetery in Moscow and monuments to victims of political repression. On 16 February 2026, on the second anniversary of the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, peaceful memorial
Russia — helping those driven to complete poverty by state repression In modern Russia, not only critics of the authorities are persecuted, but also those who try to defend them. The story of lawyers Aleksei Liptser, Vadim Kobzev and Igor Sergunin is a vivid example of how far repression can go. All three represented Alexei Navalny until his still-unexplained death in custody. But on 13 October 2023, they themselves became
Putin’s New Law – Harsher penalties for juveniles The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) condemns the law passed by the Russian State Duma, which lowers the age of criminal responsibility for “sabotage and terrorist offences” to 14 years. In the future, minors will face prison sentences up to life imprisonment for symbolic resistance against the war and repression in the country. In Russia, Putin’s repressive apparatus is now systematically
Documentary about the Persecution of Christians in Occupied Territories This year, a documentary film about the persecution of Christians under Russian occupation in Ukraine was released. Titled “A Faith Under Siege,” the film by Ukrainian filmmaker Yaroslav Lodygin exposes how Ukrainian believers, especially Catholics and Protestants, are targeted by the occupiers. He and his team conclude that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin aims to control religious communities. Consequently, believers who invoke
On the occasion of Political Prisoners' Day in Russia, the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) condemns the imprisonment and torture of Ukrainian and Russian civilians and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners. Day of Political Prisoners in Russia Thousands tortured and dehumanised Electric shocks, rape and cruel torture are commonplace Frankfurt am Main / Moscow, 29 October 2025 – In Russia, critics of the