By Jay Sekulow
The left's outrage over the IRS turns to a plea to 'move on'
Governments and rights organizations are decrying raids by Russian authorities on more than 2,000 international and domestic advocacy groups, what observers say is an unprecedented campaign to silence critics of the Kremlin.
A new law expanding Russia's definition of treason took effect Wednesday — and critics say it's so vague that the government can now brand anyone who dissents as a traitor.
A second political party in Turkmenistan -- which is still under an absolute dictatorship more than 20 years after achieving independence from the Soviet Union -- will do nothing to bring democracy to the oil-rich Central Asian nation, political observers and analysts say.
A second political party in Turkmenistan — still under an absolute dictatorship more than 20 years after achieving independence from the Soviet Union — will do nothing to bring democracy to the oil-rich Central Asian nation, political observers and analysts say.
The law is "an effort to tar, discredit and demonize" groups that promote accountability of governments, progressive change and human rights, Ms. Denber said.
Russia's Putin cracking down on variety of advocacy groups →
"This is an unprecedented crackdown on civil society in Russia that started in June with the adoption of a number of restrictive laws, which curtailed freedom of association, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression," said Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia division at Human Rights Watch. "There is a lot of poisonous anti-foreigner rhetoric and proposals for new laws; it is a very bad atmosphere."
Russia's Putin cracking down on variety of advocacy groups →
