ADC Memorial represented FIDH on Joint Hearing of the shrinking space for civil society

July 13, 2016, Brussels. Joint Hearing of the shrinking space for civil society and the problem of repressions against Human Right defenders took place in the European Parliament; the event was organized by the Committee on Development and the Subcommittee on Human Rights.
Civil society faces challenges in many countries – in forms of adoption of limitative legislation, in censorship, in opposing to independent initiatives, but often in cruel repressions against activists and Human Rights defenders (arrests, attacks, murders). The speakers observed the situation of the freedom of associations and assembly, on freedom of independent Human Rights work in different regions of the world – in China, Israel, Cambodia, Latin America, ex-Soviet countries.
Expert of ADC Memorial Olga Abramenko focused her presentation on the recent tightening of the situation of activists, HR defenders and independent journalists in Russia and in territories dependent on the RF in economic and political sense. Among the mentioned examples – criminal cases opened against Valentina Cherevatenko (head of the Women of the Don NGO) and Nikolay Solodnikov, journalist, liquidation of the NGO “Shchit I Mech”, appeal of the Ministry of Justice on liquidation of the association Golos, negative impact of recently adopted anti-terrorism legislation to the situation of freedom of speech and expression. The expert stressed that the problem of civil liberties in Russia and post-Soviet region should be a constant part of the agenda of the European Union and other international institutions. Repressions against HR defenders, including criminal persecution, should be stopped.