Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) was reported on Saturday to have initiated criminal proceedings against Tatjana Ždanoka, a European Parliament lawmaker (MEP) and Latvian citizen, on suspicion of cooperating with Russian intelligence and security services, according to local Latvian media outlets. Per media reports, the VDD had been investigating the activities of Ždanoka, 73, following [...]
Search Results for: Ukraine
ECCHR assessment claims Russia attack on Mariupol Theater was a war crime
The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) published Saturday a new legal assessment of the Russian attack on the Mariupol Theater in Ukraine, claiming that the attack was a “war crime” and deliberately done by the Russian Air Force to target Ukrainian civilians who sought refuge in the theater. The Center for Spatial [...]
Russia detains Russian national on suspicion of pro-Ukraine terrorism
The Kaluga Regional Court said Friday that it kept a Russian national suspected of being a member of the “Freedom of Russia” Legion, a paramilitary group of former Russian soldiers who now fight on behalf of Ukraine, in custody for two months on suspicion of terrorism. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested the unnamed individual. [...]
CIVICUS 2024 Report Highlights Civil Society and Global Rule of Law in Crisis
Civil society is facing unprecedented challenges globally due to escalating conflicts and crises. In 2023, groups that were pivotal in advocating for human rights, offering humanitarian aid and giving a voice to the marginalized encountered increasing difficulties. Their work has become more challenging due to growing repression and conflict, yet they remain beacons of hope [...]
Kyrgyzstan adopts bill modeled after Russia 'foreign agents' law
The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan passed a bill modeled after Russia’s “foreign agents” law on Thursday, increasing the government’s oversight of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The law will require anyone receiving foreign donations to label themselves a “foreign representative” and follow tighter guidelines when documenting their activities. The bill specifically targets NGOs receiving foreign funding, and it requires [...]
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced Wednesday that Denmark plans to draft women into the country’s armed forces for the first time. Under current law, only men are required to register for the draft. Frederiksen cited a desire to achieve “full equality between the sexes” as one of the drivers behind the proposed reform. According [...]
Russia bars entry to 227 US citizens in latest round of tit-for-tat sanctions
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced sanctions against 227 US citizens. The group comprises an eclectic mix of individuals, from elite university professors to security and aerospace executives. According to the Foreign Ministry’s statement, these individuals were targeted for their roles in the development, implementation, and justification of Washington’s “policy of Russophobia,” in addition to [...]
Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, does not shy away from tough questions. Though many in a position such as his might shy away from argument, Rae seems to relish the opportunity to engage in some intellectual sparring. It was in this context that I requested an interview as Canada grapples with multiple [...]
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) on Monday accused the US of orchestrating a covert campaign to interfere with the upcoming Russian presidential election, set to take place on Mar. 15-17. The spy agency claims the administration of US President Joe Biden has ordered a group of American NGOs to stifle voter turnout in a bid [...]
A US federal judge upheld on Friday the Biden administration’s program to grant temporary legal immigration status to up to 30,000 asylum-seekers from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. This initiative, also known as humanitarian parole, provides an avenue for people from these nations to avoid illegal entry into the US. It has been a key [...]