All articles tagged with #dissidents
Hamas has intensified its brutal crackdown on dissidents and civilians in Gaza, exploiting the world's focus on Israel and Iran to increase violence and repression, including torture, executions, and intimidation tactics against those opposing Hamas's rule.
In the wake of Putin's unopposed re-election in Russia, many courageous Russian dissidents have fled to Lithuania, a NATO ally that has welcomed over 2,500 Russian exiles. These dissidents, including a crusading mother and a human rights activist, have spoken out against Putin's regime, which has cracked down on internal opposition and independent media. They continue their fight for freedom and democracy from abroad, while facing concerns about their safety as Russia constantly probes and attempts to silence them.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to secure his fifth term in power, with prominent dissidents like Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, Andrei Pivovarov, Lilia Chanysheva, Oleg Orlov, and Alexei Gorinov serving time in prison for various charges, including treason, spreading false information, and criticizing the government's actions. These cases have raised concerns about the safety of imprisoned dissidents and the suppression of dissent in Russia.
The funeral of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, set for Friday, reflects the current political climate in Russia under Vladimir Putin's rule. Navalny's family has faced obstacles in arranging the funeral, reminiscent of past dissidents' burials, such as Anatoly Marchenko and Andrei Sakharov. The Russian government's handling of Navalny's funeral has drawn comparisons to past dissident funerals, with Navalny's team calling for supporters to attend despite potential arrests or clashes. The funeral of Boris Nemtsov, another opposition figure, also serves as a reminder of the government's crackdown on dissent.
A leaked trove of over 500 sensitive technical documents reveals a Chinese technology company's hacking operations, target lists, and marketing materials for the Chinese government, with a focus on surveilling and harassing dissidents critical of the Chinese government. The leaked documents also detail the company's bidding for work to surveil the Uyghur population and its relationships with Chinese government agencies. Cybersecurity researchers are analyzing the leak, which includes details on custom spying devices and internal bureaucratic information, providing valuable insights into China's competitive marketplace for hacking operations.
Hong Kong police have arrested four men accused of providing financial support to individuals who fled overseas and are involved in activities endangering national security. The suspects, believed to be former members of the pro-democracy party Demosisto, are accused of using companies, social media, and mobile applications to receive funds and support individuals overseas. The arrests come as part of an ongoing crackdown on dissidents in Hong Kong, with over 260 people arrested under the National Security Law. The police operation is ongoing, and further arrests have not been ruled out.
Russian dissidents in Belgorod are siding with Ukraine in the ongoing conflict, but are struggling to adhere to Kyiv's official line. The dissidents recently paraded a captured Russian vehicle, and their actions have raised concerns about potential repercussions from the Russian government. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with both sides experiencing losses on the battlefield.
German police are investigating the possible poisoning of two Russian exiles who attended a conference in Berlin organized by a Russian Kremlin critic. The investigation is being handled by the state security unit, a specialized team that examines cases related to "terrorism" or politically motivated crimes. Several poison attacks have been carried out abroad and in Russia against Kremlin opponents in recent years, and Moscow denies its secret services were responsible.
The families and friends of dissident figures in Belarus are being targeted by the government in retaliation for anti-government actions of their relatives. The crackdown on those who disagree with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko intensified after a widely disputed presidential election in 2020. The families of activists have been subjected to much harsher intimidation techniques than ever before, including raids on their homes. At the time of writing, 1,497 people are behind bars for politically motivated charges. The United Nations believes that the Belarusian authorities use extremism and counter-terrorism laws to suppress dissent.
Iran's intelligence ministry has blamed foreign "enemies" and dissidents for fomenting fears over suspected poisonings of schoolgirls, saying its investigation found no actual poisoning. The ministry report accused unnamed dissidents of provoking fears to produce propaganda videos and warned of "prosecution of individuals, groups, media who accused the government ... and aligned themselves with enemies". The suspected poisonings began in November in the holy Shi'ite Muslim city of Qom and spread to 28 of Iran's 31 provinces, according to activist HRANA news agency, prompting some parents to take children out of school and protest.
Chinese Communist Party enforcers in their secret US network of police stations are ordered to harass dissidents, spy for plots to overthrow the regime – and to monitor derisive remarks about President Xi Jinping’s resemblance to Winnie the Pooh. The Chinese police stations – two of them based in New York City – cooperate with the country’s diplomats to pressure dissidents, including pro-democracy demonstrators, to return to China where they face repression and imprisonment. Federal prosecutors are painting the most detailed picture of what goes on inside the police stations so far, including details of how Communist Party enforcers monitor social media for signs of perceived disrespect to China’s president-for-life.
China has denied all accusations of an overseas police presence, saying the United States was making “groundless accusations” after U.S. law enforcement arrested two men in New York for establishing a secret police station. The station allegedly took on roles beyond ordinary bureaucracy, including locating Chinese dissidents living in the U.S. The U.S. Justice Department also charged 34 officers in the Ministry of Public Security on Monday with creating and using thousands of fake social media accounts on Twitter and other platforms to harass dissidents abroad.
The FBI has arrested two alleged Chinese agents and charged dozens of others with working to silence and harass dissidents within the United States, with some even operating an “undeclared police station” in New York City. The agents were allegedly directed by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security to create and maintain accounts that looked like they were run by American citizens. Topics of their propaganda machine include US foreign policy, human rights issues in Hong Kong, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Covid-19 and racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd, according to prosecutors.
The United States has condemned Vietnam's jailing of political activist Nguyen Lan Thang, just hours before Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Hanoi. Thang was sentenced to six years in prison for conducting anti-state activities. The US has urged Vietnam to release Thang and other individuals who remain in detention for peacefully exercising and promoting human rights. Vietnam has convicted at least 163 people since 2018 for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or association.
Jailed Kremlin opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr. likened his treason trial to sham Stalin-era proceedings and said he's proud of his public statements and behavior. He's facing charges of treason and spreading false information about the Russian military in Ukraine. Kara-Murza has been behind bars since his arrest a year ago. A verdict is expected on April 17, with the prosecutor requesting a 25-year sentence to be served in a "strict regime" prison colony. The charges against Kara-Murza stem from his March 15 speech to the Arizona House of Representatives in which he denounced Russia's military action in Ukraine.