Human Rights House Foundation statement
HRC54 – Item 4 – Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur – Russia
21 September 2023
Delivered by Dave Elseroad
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We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report.
On 6 September, Human Rights House Foundation joined 16 other international NGOs in a letter calling for the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Russian Federation during this session. Since the mandate’s establishment, the situation in Russia has drastically deteriorated, a truly telling statement given the 25 years of human rights rollbacks outlined in the Special Rapporteur’s report.
Noteworthy organisations such as Memorial and the Moscow Helsinki Group have been liquidated, following their calls for Council action to support Russian civil society. Russian authorities have added over 230 entities to its so-called foreign agents list in just the past year. Such repressive actions are designed to isolate Russian civil society from their international counterparts.
Russia continues to stifle peaceful protest, with nearly 20,000 anti-war protestors detained recently and more than 600 facing criminal charges for their peaceful expressions.
The violent attack on journalist Yelena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov in June exemplifies the escalating dangers faced by journalists and lawyers alike.
Given the scale of violations, rigorous monitoring of Russia’s human rights situation remains essential. The mandate holder has become a lifeline for human rights defenders in Russia and we call on you to extend her mandate.
We further remind States that members of this body must uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights. The Russian Federation’s candidature to return to this body must be rejected.
Thank you.
