Russia

Freedom House: country profile for Russia

Power in Russia’s authoritarian political system is concentrated in the hands of President Vladimir Putin. With loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, and a legislature consisting of a ruling party and pliable opposition factions, the Kremlin manipulates elections and suppresses genuine dissent. Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, with the government curtailing rights and individual liberties even further to stifle domestic dissent.

Freedom House: internet freedom in Russia

The already restrictive online environment in Russia deteriorated dramatically during the coverage period. After Russian authorities launched a brutal military invasion of Ukraine, the government moved to block prominent social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and issued massive fines to other platforms that refused to remove content and localize user data. Beyond social media platforms, the government restricted access to over 5,000 websites after the invasion was launched, including Ukrainian and other foreign news sites and domestic news sites that provided accurate coverage of the war. Authorities also passed legislation that expanded the powers of state bodies tasked with regulation of the internet, as well as the grounds for what content could be deemed illegal. Among other changes, the government expanded its foreign agents law and mandated that media outlets refer to the war as a “special military operation,” developments that prompted many prominent independent news outlets to close rather than risk penalties for continued reporting. Authorities opened several administrative and criminal proceedings under a new law that punishes “knowingly spreading false information” with up to 15 years in prison.