Russia: What will the human rights landscape look like following Russia’s legislative elections?

Russia has just held its 2021 legislative elections, following a massive crackdown on dissent. Questions loom about what efforts Russian authorities, including the newly elected Duma, will make to further silence independent voices.

Alexei Navalny remains in prison, the movements associated with him are banned, and new repressive legislation targeting civil society is taking effect. These developments come after a decade of legislation curbing human rights and silencing the media. What will the human rights landscape in Russia look like moving forward and how should the Human Rights Council respond?

• Rachel Denber (Moderator), Deputy Director, Europe & Central Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
• Anna Dobrovolskaya, Executive Director, Memorial Human Rights Centre
• Ivan Pavlov, Human Rights Lawyer & Head of Former Team 29
• Svetlana Zakharova, Director, Charitable Foundation “Sphere” / Russian LGBT Network
• Natalia Zviagina, Moscow Office Director, Amnesty International
• Ilya Nuzov, Eastern Europe & Central Asia Desk Director, FIDH
• Matthew Jones, International Advocacy Officer, Human Rights House Foundation
• Intervention by Ambassador Zbigniew Czech, Permanent representative of Poland to the United Nations in Geneva

• Q&A and final remarks

This event was co-organised by Amnesty International, FIDH, Human Rights House Foundation and Human Rights Watch.