Page 15 - bne IntelliNews Russia OUTLOOK 2025

various objects in cities, public events and the destruction of patriotic symbols,” the report says. “But in 2024, more people were prosecuted for cooperation with foreigners than in the previous two years combined.”
Additionally, the report identifies 107 instances of "extra pressure" on prisoners, including physical abuse, psychological violence, denial of medical care and detention in poor conditions.
“The average prison term in politically motivated cases has decreased slightly over the past year, from 6.7 years in 2023 to 6.5 years in 2024. However, in ‘anti-war cases’, this term, on the contrary, has increased slightly, from 6 years to 6.2 years,” the report says.
Researchers found that the main trends in recent years persisted in 2024: targeted political persecution, attacks on vulnerable groups and the adoption of increasingly repressive laws.
Eight politically motivated prisoners died in custody this year. High-profile opposition figure Alexey Navalny was among them, while others succumbed to poor solitary confinement conditions or injuries sustained during detention.
Authorities increasingly deployed Article 205.2 of Russia's Criminal Code, which bans “public justification of terrorism,” against individuals who supported Ukraine’s military actions. This statute became the most commonly used tool to suppress dissent in 2024, OVD-Info revealed, Meduza reports.
In a rare example of public protest, there were large demonstrations against the government in Bashkortostan in January following the jailing of activist Fail Alsynov that provoked a severe crackdown by the authorities. Demonstrations in Baymak and Ufa prompted federal investigators to launch a criminal case for “mass riots,” implicating at least 79 individuals.
The LGBTQI community has also come under attack and police raided Moscow gay clubs on the anniversary of the passage of the “anti-gay propaganda” laws.
The Supreme Court’s decision to classify the “International LGBT Movement” as extremist in January 2024 triggered heightened persecution of LGBTQI individuals. The report identifies 12 felony cases linked to this designation and 53 related to “LGBT propaganda.” Police raids targeting this community have become commonplace.
15 Russia OUTLOOK 2025 www.intellinews.com