Russia has banned Human Rights Watch.

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News Desk: Russian authorities have declared the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) an “undesirable organization.” The announcement was made on Friday, November 28.

This declaration means that HRW must cease all operations in Russia, and anyone cooperating with or supporting the organization could face legal consequences.

According to an Al Jazeera report, HRW has repeatedly accused Moscow of repressing dissenters and committing war crimes during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

HRW Executive Director Philippe Bolopion said in a statement, “For over three decades, Human Rights Watch’s work on post-Soviet Russia has pressured the government to uphold human rights and freedoms. Our work hasn’t changed, but what has changed dramatically is the government’s authoritarian policy, the unprecedented rise in repression, and the scale of war crimes its forces are committing in Ukraine.”

The decision by Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office comes at a time when Moscow has intensified crackdowns on Kremlin critics, journalists, and activists. This is their latest move, escalating since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Separately, Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday declared the Anti-Corruption Foundation, established by the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny, a terrorist organization.

Founded in 1978, Human Rights Watch monitors human rights violations around the world.