Under the umbrella of extremism. How Russia bans ideas, people, and imaginary movements

Under the umbrella of extremism. How Russia bans ideas, people, and imaginary movements

Russia’s extremism law appeared in 2002. It was originally conceived to counter international terrorism and radicals, but over two decades it has turned into a weapon for fighting dissent.

OVD-Info has also been affected by this: in early June, we were declared an “extremist organization.” Our new article is about exactly how the state uses this label for its own purposes.

Here is what its editor B. says about it (we are not naming them for security reasons):

The idea for the text came before our project was given this status. We have been studying state practices around “extremism” for some time already, and now this topic has become even more relevant for us.

Being inside the situation, you can feel how “extremism” works. Of course, we are not any kind of radicals or extremists. But then the state turned its gears, and that was it. Now we have to be twice as careful, now we are a target.

Phenomena that, in the state’s view, threaten its security are described in the laws vaguely and broadly. This makes projects and people into targets if they are suspected of “Russophobia,” “destructive ideologies,” preparing “color revolutions,” “falsifying history,” “encroaching on Russia’s cultural and historical heritage,” or threatening “traditional values.” Whatever all that may actually mean.

Separately, by the way, the state pays attention to NGO activity, noting in its anti-extremism strategy the “increased activity of foreign and international non-governmental organizations participating in anti-Russian extremist activity.” From the regime’s point of view, NGOs work “under the guise” of humanitarian and educational projects in order to “incite protest activity.”

About exactly how the law under which associations are recognized as extremist works, and what this practice leads to, read our new piece. Read it here.

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