Russia’s Justice Ministry on Friday designated the international nonprofit Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable” organization.
The designation bans the U.S.-headquartered nonprofit from operating in Russia. Under Russian law, individuals found to be affiliated with “undesirable” organizations face up to four years in prison, while organization leaders risk up to six years.
HRW was among a number of international organizations and foreign NGOs whose local offices Russian authorities shut down in the first months of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine over alleged legal violations.
Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, which usually announces “undesirable” designations, has not issued any statement on HRW’s blacklisting.
HRW did not immediately respond when reached for comment.
Founded in 1978 and with a presence in more than 90 countries, HRW has documented human rights violations in Russia for around 30 years. It has accused the Russian military of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Russia introduced its “undesirable” law in 2015, using it to crack down on independent media, opposition groups and foreign organizations. Hundreds of organizations are currently blacklisted, including The Moscow Times.
