Reacting to news that a prosecutor’s office in Moscow is about to initiate criminal proceedings on “extremism” charges against prisoners’ rights advocate Anna Karetnikova, from the Memorial Human Rights Centre, who is currently living in exile, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:

“Amnesty International has long warned of the danger that Russia’s vague and overly broad anti-extremism legislation would be used to criminalize lawful human rights work. Today, those fears are being realized with the criminal case against Anna Karetnikova – the first time such charges have been used against an individual solely because of their human rights work.”

“Although Anna Karetnikova is living in exile and can only be tried in absentia, the threat of prosecution sends a chilling message that is intended to silence human defenders in Russia and abroad, stop them from documenting violations and deter them from speaking up for the victims of these abuses.…