This statement was delivered on behalf of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Russia’s refusal to accept recommendations to protect freedoms of expression, association and assembly is deeply disappointing. The recent arbitrary arrests and excessive use of force by police against peaceful protesters, including children, underscores the significance of these recommendations. Russia has also refused to accept recommendations to amend its counter-terrorism and so-called “anti-extremism” legislation, which the government increasingly uses to stifle freedom of expression.
