Sergei Babinets, head of the Russian Commission for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, announced that his organization was disbanding after the government described him as a “foreign agent.” It is the latest indication that Moscow is violating human rights at home and through its invasion of Ukraine. In a Telegram post, Babinets wrote that he did not want to continue working under the label, which he described as “insult and slander” by the Russian government, according to a report in The Moscow Times. “Despite the obvious importance of our mission, the authorities have been trying for many years to present it as foreign and harmful,” he said in a post, according to the newspaper. “The authorities are sending a message that torture is taking place [or has already become] part of government policy “. Torture in Russia is becoming part of government policies, the head of an anti-torture NGO that disbanded on Sunday warned. The news came a day after authorities described the organization as a foreign agent. Above, protesters demonstrate on May 5 to support the more than 15,000 anti-war Russians arrested. Stefano Montesi – Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images) In Russia, the label “foreign agent” is often used against organizations, journalists and members of the opposition accused of being funded by foreign governments. Those who carry the label may be subject to sanctions or other restrictions, according to the Times. The commission, set up in 2000, has advocated for justice against Russian authorities accused of torture, particularly in Chechnya, which is considered a highly authoritarian region in Russia where the group has faced security concerns, according to a 2016 report by the Guardian. Their task had been made more difficult by the Russia-Ukraine war as thousands of Russians were arrested for protesting the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in late February, Babinets told Civil Rights De March in an interview with Defenders Civil Rights. “Right now, the Commission’s work is facing more and more obstacles and human rights are practically seen as ‘enemy value,’” he said at the time. The organization’s press secretary Natalia Kurekina, in the same interview, warned of “worrying” police violence against those involved in anti-war demonstrations, including “ill-treatment” and beatings. He added that the suppression of independent media by the government has made it more difficult to publish this information. It is the latest sign that the Russian government can crack down on human rights. According to OVD-info, an organization that monitors the number of arrests in Russia, at least 15,451 protesters have been arrested since the beginning of the conflict. The Russian military has also faced allegations of human rights abuses in Ukraine, including attacks on civilians, including in kindergartens and hospitals. Russia was also suspended by the United Nations Human Rights Council in April. The next day, Moscow recalled more than a dozen human rights organizations in the country.
