Human Rights Watch says ‘state intrusion in media affairs has reached a level not seen in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union’

In a new report on Russia, Human Rights Watch argues that the freedom of speech has suffered a major assault since protests swept Moscow and much of the country in late 2011 and early 2012, thanks particularly to a series of repressive laws enacted by the federal government.

HRW notes that the Russian authorities have used laws against extremism to punish members of the political opposition, and tried to take control over online correspondence. The organization’s report says, Russian “state intrusion in media affairs has reached a level not seen in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.” With rare exceptions, any popular media outlet is eventually transformed into a propaganda resource, HRW argues.

The report draws special attention to Ruslan Sokolovsky (the young videoblogger arrested and later given a suspended criminal sentence for offending religious sentiments) and Russia’s bans on Jehovah’s Witnesses and so-called “gay propaganda,” which HRW says harms only LGBT children.

HRW calls on Russia to honor its obligations as a party to the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which pledge signatories to protect the freedom of expression and information. Specifically, the report calls for the abolition of the “Yarovaya anti-terrorist laws,” the “gay propaganda” ban, the laws creating “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations,” and much more, as well as reforms to Russia’s laws against hate speech.

HRW also calls on the country’s biggest Internet companies to publish records of censorship requests from the Russian government and advises against storing user data on servers located in Russia.

The ability to practice journalism free from undue interference, to peacefully criticize government, and to express critical views are crucial to the exercise of many other rights and freedoms.