Even if some believe (I would beg to differ) that one or two individuals make no odds, I would respectfully suggest that the question of where it will all end if the Russian FSB is shown so very clearly that they can act with impunity is ignored at our peril.

Where observing likely vote-rigging leads to the observer being thrown out for putting pressure on the electoral commission by discrediting them, and to other undesirable and thoroughly undemocratic consequences …

Abdugani Kamaliyev (Tursinov), an Uzbek married to a Russian national was forcibly expelled from Tyumen in Russia to Uzbekistan in the early hours of Wednesday morning despite the European Court of Human Rights’ halt on any expulsion

If the Russian authorities expel Abdugani Kamaliyev (Tursinov), an Uzbek married to a Russian national, they will do so in violation of their own legislation and the European Court of Human Rights! And they cannot say that they didn’t know in time.

In Russia 52-year-old academician Igor Reshetin has been sentenced to eleven and a half years imprisonment. The numerous protests by scientists and human rights defenders were ignored

Russian human rights groups have sounded the alarm over the arrest on nonsensical grounds of prominent human rights defender Dmitry Krayukhin from Oryol [Orel] Krayukhin has been critical of electoral infringements and was planning to coordinate monitoring in tomorrow’s elections

The Russian authorities are increasingly demonstrating an inexplicable willingness to cooperate with repressive regimes. No holds barred, it would seem, for their new friends. This, unfortunately, has included no legislative bars. Abdugani Kamaliyev (Tursinov), an Uzbek married to a Russian national is in danger of being unlawfully expelled to Uzbekistan despite a request to extradite him having been turned down

Four years imprisonment on politically motivated charges are over, however the need to clearly and unequivocally assess the injustice done him remains

Amnesty International is gravely concerned about the Russian authorities’ systematic disregard for basic human rights in the run-up to parliamentary elections in the country, scheduled for 2 December 2007.

Shenderovich explains his decision to stand for the State Duma as being because : “today in Russia there is no parliament, just as there is no just court, nor free press. They have all long since turned into departments of the Kremlin administration”.

Garry Kasparov has been in custody since Saturday when arrested over a march of those in dissent

Prominent human rights defenders in Russia have addressed an open letter to the Human Rights Ombudsperson Vladimir Lukin and the Head of the Human Rights Council under the President Ella Pamfilova over the recent abduction of the Head of the Memorial Human Rights Centre Oleg Orlov and journalists from REN TV

Special police units beat and detained around one hundred participants of an unsanctioned “March of those in dissent” [Marsh niesoglashnykh”] in St Petersburg on Sunday 25 November

“This horrific crime has a clear political motive to silence independent voices. More reporting is needed from troubled Ingushetia, not less.”

This attack and abduction would appear to indicate a serious escalation in pressure on human rights groups and the media – silence now will be carte blanche

The Co-Chair of the organization “Voice of Beslan” is facing administrative liability for placing a “road sign” reading “Putin’s Course” pointing to the school in Beslan where 331 people died in 2004, more than half of them children

Warm congratulations to our Russian colleagues, great respect for a couple in Vladivostok who didn’t turn away when help was needed, and some serious questions as to how representatives of law enforcement agencies could have been involved in this planned illegal deportation

Mukhammedsolykh Abutov has suffered persecution already. He is seeking asylum in Russia. He must not be sent back to his torturers in Uzbekistan. PLEASE help us by using any media contacts you have ensure that this letter reaches those in Russia who have the power to prevent a grave injustice from being committed.

It is very important at this time that media attention is focused on Mikhail Trepashkin. We were not able to achieve his release from a politically motivated sentence. At least let’s ensure that the public eye keeps him safe now as his term of imprisonment comes to an end

The results of this survey by the respected Levada Centre found that while 72 % believed that human rights are violated in Russia, the number of people who considered that Russia has political prisoners had fallen since 2004 against the percentage of “don’t knows”