Protesters hold up signs in support of Ukraine during an Amnesty International demonstration in Amsterdam on Feb. 23, 2025. Photo: Ana Fernandez / SOPA Images
On May 19, Russia declared Amnesty International an “undesirable organization,” effectively banning the human rights NGO from operating in the country. The group condemned the move, vowing to redouble its work documenting and exposing human rights violations in Russia.
Founded in 1961 and based in London, Amnesty International advocates for human rights worldwide and is known for its campaigns in defense of those it recognizes as prisoners of conscience. It has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights for its work.
Kremlin authorities claim to see things differently: “The activities of the so-called human rights advocates at Amnesty International Limited are shrouded in the hostility of the British establishment,” the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement.
“The London headquarters of AIL serves as a hub for developing global Russophobic projects financed by supporters of the Kyiv regime. Since the start of the special military operation, its activists have done everything possible to escalate the military confrontation in the region: justifying the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, calling for increased funding for them, and supporting the political and economic isolation of our country.”
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard responded:
“This decision is part of the Russian government’s broader effort to silence dissent and isolate civil society. In a country where scores of activists and dissidents have been imprisoned, killed or exiled, where independent media has been smeared, blocked or forced to self-censor, and where civil society organizations have been outlawed or liquidated, you must be doing something right if the Kremlin bans you.
The authorities are deeply mistaken if they believe that by labelling our organization ‘undesirable’ we will stop our work documenting and exposing human rights violations – quite the opposite. We will not give in to the threats and will continue undeterred to work to ensure that people in Russia are able to enjoy their human rights without discrimination. We will keep documenting and speaking worldwide about the war crimes committed in Ukraine by Russia. We will redouble our efforts to expose Russia’s egregious human rights violations both at home and abroad.”
Amnesty International criticized the legal basis for the ban, calling it a violation of international law and noting that it follows the blocking of the NGO’s websites and the closure of its Moscow office three years ago. Russian authorities maintain that the country’s domestic legislation takes precedence over international law.
Amnesty noted that its designation places it among dozens of independent NGOs and media outlets targeted in recent years amid a broader crackdown aimed at stifling dissent and weakening civil society in Russia. The move, the organization said, reflects a wider pattern in which the powers that be in Moscow use authoritarian measures to silence critics, evade accountability, and consolidate power while blocking support and solidarity from international watchdogs and partners.
The Insider and Bellingcat were declared “undesirable” in July 2022. Other organizations that have received the designation include Meduza, Novaya Gazeta Europe, The Moscow Times, and the international NGO Greenpeace.
Under Russian law, involvement with an organization labeled “undesirable” is a punishable offense. First-time violations can result in administrative fines of up to 15,000 rubles (close to $185), while repeated offenses — as well as activities that qualify as “financing” or “managing” such groups — carry criminal penalties, including prison terms of up to six years. Russian authorities have previously enforced the law against “offenders” who shared or reposted content from designated organizations, even if those materials were published before their creators were formally blacklisted.
“Kyiv regime” (or “the regime in Kyiv”) is a euphemism commonly used by the Kremlin and pro-Russian propaganda to delegitimize the Ukrainian government. The phrase implies that Ukraine’s leadership is an illegitimate, authoritarian, or externally controlled entity rather than a democratically elected one. The terminology became widespread after 2014, when Russia began referring to Ukraine’s government — formed after the Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan) — as a “junta” or “regime.”
“Special military operation” (SVO) is a euphemism used by the Russian government to refer to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. The term is used in official Russian media, government statements, and pro-Kremlin discourse to justify Moscow’s military actions, frame the invasion as a limited operation rather than an all-out war, and suppress dissent.