The article reports on the recent detention of Oleg Orlov, a 69-year-old veteran human rights campaigner, on charges of “repeatedly discrediting the armed forces” in Russia. Orlov co-chaired Memorial, Russia’s leading human rights organization, which was outlawed two years ago but continued working under a different name. The crackdown on critics in Russia has intensified since the invasion of Ukraine last year, with at least 482 people charged under strict wartime censorship laws and 136 sent to prison, according to human rights monitor OVD-Info. The article also mentions the imprisonment of Moscow councillor Alexey Gorinov and opposition figures Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza, who have spoken out against the war in Ukraine and suffered consequences for doing so.
These cases illustrate the severity of the Russian government’s crackdown on individuals who criticize its actions in Ukraine. It appears that journalists and activists who speak out against the war or the government’s actions are being targeted, detained, and sentenced to lengthy prison terms. The fact that these individuals are suffering from severe mental and physical health problems while in prison is also deeply concerning. The international community has repeatedly called on the Russian government to respect human rights and release those imprisoned for their peaceful activism or journalism. However, these calls have largely gone unheeded. It is crucial that the world continues to raise awareness of these cases and pressure Russia to respect human rights and the rule of law.
