Repressions

13.06 Repressions Analytics Velvet Terror: How and why scholars are being persecuted in Russia Unlike the late Soviet practices of controlling science and higher education, which relied on an administrative hierarchy and ‘party leadership’, current practices are mainly delegated to the security forces and special services. This accounts for the harsh nature of overt repression against scholars. At the same time, such harsh repression is, in essence, ‘piecemeal’. 24.12.24 Repressions Analytics Repression in a New Form: How the profile of the regime's repression has changed in the third year of the war In 2024, Russian repressions entered a phase of systemic stabilisation. Their scale remained at previous levels, while their severity intensified: the proportion of convictions resulting in actual prison sentences and the length of those sentences increased sharply. Key trends of the year included the persecution of individuals holding 'hostile' ideas and values, as well as growing pressure on figures in the independent public sphere. 09.09.24 Repressions Analytics Effective Level of Repression: Since the start of the war, around 15,000 people in Russia have been affected by criminal and pre-criminal repression The number of cases of politically motivated criminal repression remains at a moderate level in Russia, although it is not decreasing. However, cases of pre-criminal repression that may become criminal at the next stage, that is administrative cases and those under laws related to 'foreign agents', 'undesirable' and 'extremist' organisations, significantly expand the scope of those being persecuted. 30.05.24 Repressions Analytics Soviet and Non-Soviet: The scale of repression in Russia at the beginning of 2024 has decreased slightly, but the regime’s level of repressiveness remains high The profile of repression in today's Russia is characterised by signs of a ‘young’, not fully established repressive regime. It is marked by a degree of chaos, unclear ‘red lines’, a focus on demonstrative effects, symbolic mobilisation, and a high level of unregulated physical violence. 07.02.24 Repressions Analytics From War to Prison: Repression in Russia is becoming more 'planned' and harsh, but not more widespread Having outlined the basic contours of repressive legislation in 2022, in 2023, the Putin regime focused on toughening penalties and expanding the scope for their arbitrary application. The authorities seek not to increase the scale of repression too much, but to achieve a maximum demonstrative and intimidating effect. 10.01.24 Repressions Analytics Mechanism of Organised Espionage: In 2023, the FSB accused more than 100 people of treason Since the beginning of the war, the number of treason cases in Russia has increased about tenfold, including by blurring the very concept of treason in the law. The behaviour of the investigators and courts suggests that the logic of this state spymania is subordinated to the tasks of bureaucratic accountability — the plan to catch 'spies' and 'defectors', which has increased by an order of magnitude in wartime conditions. 13.12.23 Repressions Review Unfriendly Status: Expanding the scope of the 'foreign agent' label and its related restrictions, the Russian authorities are looking for a reliable bridge to criminalise those with this status 05.12.23 Repressions Review Three Periods of Repression: More than a thousand people in Russia are in prison for political reasons 28.11.23 Repressions Review Frozen Protest: The number of public demonstrations against the war is continuing to decline, but a movement made up of the relatives of mobilised people is gaining weight and the number of deserters is growing 26.10.23 Repressions Review Dictatorship's Routine: The number of convictions and new cases against disloyal individuals is declining, but repression remains high 29.09.23 Repressions Review The Magnetism of Fear: As the scale of repression begins to stabilise, the space for freedom available to Russian citizens continues to shrink 04.09.23 Repressions Review Putin's Conveyor Belt: The new practice of bringing treason charges may bring repression to a whole new level 27.07.23 Repressions Review Scope and Duration: Analysis of repression in Russia reveals that although the overall magnitude of these actions has not significantly increased, their severity has heightened over time 06.07.23 Repressions Review Framing Public Violence: the proliferation of public apologies indicates a normalisation of physical violence towards dissenters 26.06.23 Repressions Review Totalitarian Putinism: Amid the successful suppression of protests against the war, Russian authorities are increasingly expanding the use of totalitarian practices to combat dissent 26.05.23 Repressions Review Stalinism-lite: the scope of repression is widening and is increasingly accompanied by violence 25.04.23 Repressions Review The Punitive Machine: prosecutions for anti-war attitudes continue to rise, with hundreds of people from increasingly diverse backgrounds already prosecuted 21.04.23 Repressions Analytics Terrorists, Incendiaries, and Saboteurs: How Law Enforcement Is Normalising the Logic of State Terror Analysis of criminal cases opened under various articles of the Russian Criminal Code for anti-war activities suggests that security officials are prone to add additional, more serious charges, up to and including terrorism and extremism, following the initial indictment. This allows the security forces to meet their performance indicators and to keep civilians in a state of fear. 07.04.23 Repressions Review Russia’s Repression Reaches New Heights: the number of sentences resulting in incarceration increased significantly in early 2023, as did the length of the terms being handed out 21.03.23 Repressions Review The Courts as Guardians of The War: in the past year, over 3,800 people have received administrative penalties in Russia for their anti-war positions; the state has levied over 143 million rubles in fines 06.02.23 Repressions Review Online on the Line: repression of free speech and the war have led to the construction of ‘Runet 2.0’ and the ever-increasing isolation of the original 30.01.23 Repressions Review Tightening the Screws: since the beginning of December, Russian authorities have identified a new foreign agent and opened a new criminal case every day 29.11.22 Repressions Review Autumn Repressions: decline of protests and detentions, development of the fight against "foreign agents," and totalitarian practices 22.11.22 Repressions Review The Fight Against Vandalism, Punitive Psychiatry, and the Criminalization of Geography: Major Trends in the Repressive Activities of the Russian Authorities 28.10.22 Repressions Review Monitoring of Repressions: decline in anti-mobilisation protests, increase of criminal prosecutions and "foreign agents" punishment 14.09.22 Repressions Review Resisting the resistance: repressions against Opponents of the war are systematic, but not widespread 25.07.22 Repressions Review Limit on Party Voting and Attack on Freedom of the Speech: how the authorities are getting ready for the September elections 13.06.22 Repressions Review 181 Blocked Media, 150 Criminal Cases and 59 New Foreign Agents: Russian human rights activists published a report on wartime repressions