Reacting to the Kremlin’s latest abuse of the criminal justice system to target Yabloko, the last remaining officially registered political party in Russia that has been openly calling for an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:
“In preparation for the September 2026 parliamentary election, Russian authorities are steadily dismantling what remains of peaceful political opposition. It is clear they want to purge the political landscape of any groups which are not under the Kremlin’s control and do not share its agenda, including its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.
It is clear [that the Russian authorities] want to purge the political landscape of any groups which are not under the Kremlin’s control and do not share its agenda, including its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
“The pressure on Yabloko’s leadership is relentless. Deputy Chair Lev Shlosberg, convicted under the “foreign agents” law, faces a new criminal case opened today. Another Deputy Chair, Maksim Kruglov, was arrested in October, and party leader Nikolai Rybakov is farcically convicted for “extremism.” These reprisals are a deliberate effort to silence the last organized political force in Russia that consistently calls for peace and speaks out against human rights violations.
“Criminalizing calls for a ceasefire and prosecuting individuals for peacefully expressing views on Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine are blatant attacks on freedom of expression. The Russian authorities must immediately and unconditionally overturn these convictions and drop all the baseless charges against the Yabloko leadership, as well as release all those detained solely for their anti-war views, and repeal war censorship legislation that criminalizes dissent.”
Background
On 5 November 2025, Lev Shlosberg was sentenced to 420 hours of community service for “violation of foreign agent’s duties”. The authorities claimed that he had not marked five videos posted on social media with the “foreign agent” disclaimer. The second criminal case against him – under the “discreditation of Armed Forces” charge – is ongoing.
On 5 December 2025, authorities opened a third criminal case against Lev Shlosberg for “spreading false information about the Armed Forces” over a repost from February 2022. It happened just days before he was due to be released from six months of house arrest that could no longer be legally extended, under a previous “discreditation” case. A day earlier, in two separate cases, St Petersburg courts fined party Chair Nikolai Rybakov RUB 1,500 (USD 19.5) and senior politician, Boris Vishnevsky, RUB 15,000 (USD 195). Rybakov was fined for “sharing extremist symbols” – namely, a photograph of the late opposition figure Aleksei Navalny which Rybakov posted on the day of Navalny’s death. Vishnevsky was fined for allegedly “cooperating with an undesirable organization” in an interview with the elections-monitoring group Golos, which authorities claim is linked to the banned European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations.
These fines serve as pretexts for further reprisals: Rybakov’s “extremism” case already bars him from running in the September 2026 parliamentary election, while the case against Vishnevsky paves the way for subsequent criminal prosecution if he is accused of “cooperation with an undesirable organization” again.
On 2 October 2025, Yabloko’s Deputy Chair Maksim Kruglov was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention over two 2022 Telegram posts referring to UN estimates of civilian casualties in Ukraine and the killings of civilians in Bucha.
At least five other Yabloko party regional leaders and members have been prosecuted. Around 50 administrative cases have been initiated against Yabloko members across Russia’s regions. Eleven Yabloko members, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov and veteran human rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina, have been designated “foreign agents.”
Responding to an announcement on 04 December that Burkina Faso’s government has decided to reintroduce the death penalty seven years after it was abolished for ordinary crimes as part of a reform of the Penal Code, Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa said:
“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, and an irreversible denial of the right to life.
“This punishment has no unique deterrent effect, it disproportionately affects those from disadvantaged backgrounds and carries the danger of being used as a repressive tool to punish dissent.
Burkina Faso must immediately halt any plans to reinstate the death penalty regardless of the nature of the offences or crimes committed.
Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa
“The Transitional National Council must oppose the reintroduction of death penalty in the Penal Code, which would set Burkina Faso against the goal of abolition of the death penalty enshrined under various international and regional human rights treaties and instruments.
“Burkina Faso must immediately halt any plans to reinstate the death penalty regardless of the nature of the offences or crimes committed. Countries that still retain the death penalty are an isolated minority as the world continues to move away from this cruel punishment.”
Background
During a cabinet meeting on 04 December, the Burkinabe government adopted a draft bill to reform the Penal Code, which includes reinstating the death penalty for certain offences such as “high treason,” “terrorism,” and “acts of espionage”, as announced by the Burkinabe government’s information service. The bill must be approved by the Transitional Legislative Assembly.
The death penalty has been abolished in the Penal Code of Burkina Faso since 2018. The last recorded execution in the country was in 1988.
Trends recorded so far in 2025 indicate that executions have significantly increased in a handful of countries, with some governments showing renewed determination to use this cruel punishment as a tool of repression and control. The overwhelming majority of countries has rejected the death penalty in law or practice.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception – regardless of who is accused, the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution.
Reacting to today’s vote by the Faroese parliament (the ‘Lagtinget’/‘Løgting’) to amend the law to permit access to abortion on request up until the end of the twelfth week of pregnancy, Turið Maria, Director of Amnesty International Faroe Islands said:
“Today’s vote amending the Faroe Islands’ deeply outdated and restrictive abortion law is an important step towards ensuring the provision of safe and legal abortion.
Whilst today’s vote is a positive step, the stark reality remains that those who provide or help facilitate abortion still face criminalization
“It is the result of years of tireless campaigning by activists who have fought to lift restrictions on access to abortion. These restrictions – some of the most severe in Europe -have had a devastating impact on generations of women and other people who need abortion care, endangering lives, jeopardizing health and forcing many to make costly trips abroad, mostly to Denmark.
“Whilst today’s vote is a positive step, the stark reality remains that those who provide or help facilitate abortion still face criminalization. Decriminalizing abortion is essential to ensuring all people who need abortion services, as well as abortion providers, activists and advocates, are not threatened with criminal or other punitive sanctions for accessing, assisting someone to access, or delivering abortion services.”
Background
Faroe Islands are a self-governing autonomous territory within Denmark.
The new abortion law will replace the 1956 Abortion Act that allowed abortions only in cases of rape or incest, life or health of the pregnant woman, foetus impairment or social grounds.
Today’s vote saw MPs voting in favour of the law follows a first vote in parliament on 3 December which passed, 17 votes to 16.
The “Intellexa Leaks”, a new joint investigation by Inside Story, Haaretz and WAV Research Collective with technical analysis provided by Amnesty International, exposes the internal operations of Intellexa, – a company notorious for selling highly invasive spyware Predator linked to human rights abuses in multiple countries.
Responding to the investigation published today,Jurre van Bergen, Technologist at Amnesty International’s Security Lab said:
“This investigation provides one of the clearest and most damning views yet into Intellexa’s internal operations and technology.
Jurre van Bergen, Technologist at Amnesty International’s Security Lab
“The fact that, at least in some cases, Intellexa appears to have retained the capability to remotely access Predator customer logs – allowing company staff to see details of surveillance operations and targeted individuals raises questions about its own human rights due diligence processes. If a mercenary spyware company is found to be directly involved in the operation of its product, then by human rights standards, it could potentially leave them open to claims of liability in cases of misuse and if any human rights abuses are caused by the use of spyware.
“Predator spyware was also implicated in surveillance attacks in 2021, such as against the Greek journalist Thanasis Koukakis, based on digital forensic research by Citizen Lab. Information in the leaked files now adds to the evidence connecting Intellexa’s products to violations of human rights, such as rights to privacy and freedom of expression.
“These revelations come at a time when new cases of Predator spyware abuse are coming to light, showing that Intellexa’s product continues to be used to unlawfully surveil activists, journalists and human rights defenders around the world. Amnesty International’s Security Lab uncovered an attack against a human rights lawyer from Pakistan’s Balochistan province over WhatsApp during the summer of 2025, proving that the Predator spyware is being actively used in Pakistan, gravely violating privacy and freedom of expression rights.
“Even more alarming is the company’s latest development of a new spyware product called Aladdin which can infect mobiles through online advertisements.”
Background
The “Intellexa Leaks” is a months-long investigation drawing on a set of highly sensitive documents and other materials leaked from the company, including internal company documents, sales and marketing material, as well as training videos. An in-depth analysis of the leaked materials, as well as details of the reply received by Haaretz from Intellexa’s founder, responding to a request for comment from the company, can be found in Amnesty International’s Security Lab technical briefing, “To Catch a Predator: Leak exposes the internal operations of Intellexa’s spyware”.
Amnesty International has previously documented Intellexa’s technical capabilities and numerous cases of abuse linked to their spyware products as part of “Predator Files” in 2023. Ongoing investigations into the attack campaign in Pakistan and other instances of abuse will be released in a series of upcoming Amnesty International reports.
Amnesty International is working closely with communities and partner organizations to combat violence against women and girls in Burkina Faso, Senegal and Sierra Leone. In these West African countries, they are subjected to different forms of gender-based violence (GBV), including early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), but also physical, psychological, and economic violence, exposing them to many vulnerabilities and multiple human rights violations.
Meet five activists who are speaking out, working to raise community awareness, challenging gender-based violence and supporting survivors.
Mariama Seydi
A GBV survivor herself, Mariama Seydi, 17, studies at Djibanar High School in the Sédhiou region in Southern Senegal. She has been involved in activities with Amnesty International since 2017 as an active member of her school’s human rights club.
Mariama has been involved in the school club set up by Amnesty International since she was 8 years old
“My greatest pride is being at school, learning and preparing for my future. My dream is to be a lawyer, to defend people who are struggling and need help.
I was cut. We are told that it is a custom, but sometimes I wonder if our ancestors would not be fighting alongside us today against female genital mutilation if they knew all the consequences of this practice. It hurts me to know that I was cut and that there will still be girls who will go through this too.
I regret that some people think that change is impossible. But I don’t let that get me down.
Mariama
In our area, there is a lot of violence against girls. The violence I see around me includes female genital mutilation and early and forced marriages. Harassment is also very common.
Amnesty’s training about GBV has enabled me, as a girl, to aspire to help and defend voiceless people who are unable to defend themselves. After my training sessions, I often share everything I have learned with my friends.
There isn’t much communication between young people and their parents. Certain topics are taboo. That’s not the case for me; I talk to my mother a lot. She explained to me that she had me cut, as she herself was, because it’s a tradition. Not having had the chance to go to school, she just repeated what she knew. She encourages me to get training, learn new things, and help my friends and those around me.
I am proud of what I have accomplished so far. I regret that some people think that change is impossible. But I don’t let that get me down because there are people who recognize the importance of what we are doing. It only motivates me more to continue raising awareness.”
Djénébou Assé Kandé
Djénébou Assé Kandé, 39, lives in Saré Tening, in the Sédhiou region in Southern Senegal. She is the secretary of the Nafore Kawral Group that works for women’s and girls’ empowerment. On the path to recovery from domestic violence, she fights for the human rights of members of her community.
A survivor of domestic violence, Djénébou is now engaged for women’s and girls’ empowerment in her community
“I don’t want other girls to go through what I went through. My ex-husband beat me so badly that I had problems with my eyesight and hearing. I was so afraid of him that I didn’t even dare to talk to him. After my divorce, while living with my parents, I was invited to attend awareness-raising activities with Amnesty. That’s where I learned a lot.
Now, when I come across girls, I never miss an opportunity to talk to them to prevent them from going through what I went through. I often visit schools to talk to students. The girls talk and ask questions. Every Friday, I also visit surrounding villages to talk to women.
I remarried and my new life as part of a couple is really different from what I knew before. With my husband, as soon as we face a problem, we talk about it. I have also learned to talk to my daughter; we talk about sexual health. I am proud of her because she got her high school diploma. Here, it is common to see girls who do not even reach high school. After elementary or middle school, they are married off. I dropped out of school very early.
Men have changed thanks to discussions about gender-based violence and sexual health. When we organize a meeting, I explain to them that the topics we discuss are realities that we experience and that we need to talk about them. Before, men rejected everything we said. Today, their perspective is beginning to change. To bring about change, we need to raise even more awareness among men.”
Médard Ouédraogo, 50, works as a farmer and is a member of a community alert committee set up by Amnesty International and its partners in the village of Roumtenga, in the Passoré province of Burkina Faso, to combat gender-based violence. He is also a member of the Association for the Promotion of Women and Children (APFE).
Médard is a member of a community alert committee set up by Amnesty International and its partners to combat gender-based violence
“I have been committed to fighting gender-based violence since my first contact with APFE five years ago. I was moved by the issues we discussed because we were experiencing them too. So I joined the Roumtenga alert committee.
Since we have been sensitized about early and forced marriage, there has been a big change. But awareness must also reach the surrounding villages.
Médard
We had a woman practicing female genital mutilation in the village. We, the members of the alert committee, went to her house after informing her husband and children of our intention to talk to her. She had already been to prison and was afraid of being arrested again. We took a humble and respectful approach. We explained the harmful consequences of FGM to her. She was touched by our approach and committed to stopping her activity. She did not perform any more female genital mutilation until her death this year.
In cases of early and forced marriages, as soon as we receive the information, we take action. We visit the family of the suitor or groom and explain to them that girls under the age of 18 should not get married. Often, people understand and accept this. When the girl is already at their home, they tell us they will take her back to her parents. But we insist on accompanying her back to her house. In cases where the man refuses to let the girl return to her family, we report him to either the police or social services.
Since we have been sensitized about early and forced marriage, there has been a big change. Girls are no longer given in marriage against their will. But awareness must also reach the surrounding villages. While Roumtenga has abandoned the practice of early and forced marriages, this is not the case elsewhere.
These are issues that are important to me. We are setting an example, and we are truly proud of it.”
Pauline Kaboré
Pauline Kaboré, 45, works at the provincial directorate for humanitarian action and national solidarity in the Passoré province, in Burkina Faso.
Pauline is a social worker who supports gender-based violence survivors
“The cases of GBV that I encounter most often are early and forced marriages, physical violence, and social exclusion, for example when women are accused of witchcraft. In total, we receive five to seven cases per week.
I remember a 16-year-old girl who was about to be forced into marriage. She came to us on her own the day before her engagement to report her situation. She was able to receive care and protection.
Since I started working with Amnesty International, I have changed my approach. A survivor who comes to us is overwhelmed with fear and sadness, and lacks confidence. Before, I thought I had to act quickly. Now I know not to rush. I adapt my tone and reassure her by showing her that she is in good hands.
When I meet with someone in a complex situation, it stirs up emotions in me, but I have learned to put them aside. My priority is that we find solutions together. If the survivor is aware of her situation and no longer wishes to continue with follow-up, we are obliged to stop. We don’t force anyone.
Our work is not limited to survivors. We also work with families and the community. We have conducted awareness campaigns and invited community leaders. Some of them are unfamiliar with the law and are stuck in their traditions. But they are really receptive to what we say.
I have managed to reintegrate young girls, resolve issues of forced marriages, and reconcile families. I can say that there has been improvement, but GBV is persistent. There is still a long way to go to eradicate it.”
Mohamed Tejan Jalloh is a human rights ambassador in Konakry Dee Community, Port Loko District, in Northwestern Sierra Leone. Aged 27, he works as a teacher and has been volunteering for about 10 years in his community.
To raise awareness about gender-based violence in his community, Mohamed uses a megaphone
“When I was going to school, I saw girls interrupting their education because they were forced into marriage. Their parents married their daughters to fishermen because of their money and influence, no matter how brilliant the girls were. They saw fishermen having two or three boats and only look at the immediate benefit. All this is due to poverty. At that time, I was 16. I had a friend who was a victim of child marriage and I felt bad about it. From that time, I decided to volunteer and to champion this cause. In this community, I am now known as a human rights ambassador.
I am committed to doing this as long as I am alive.
Mohamed
Now, child marriage has been reduced in our community. It’s difficult to make people change. When Amnesty first came to our village, the reaction of the community was not encouraging. There was a lot of confrontation between the volunteers and the parents. But we managed to bring awareness by making them understand that if their daughters can access education, they will acquire knowledge and be in a better position in society.
As volunteers, we go to schools and hold educational sessions. We also talk to Muslim leaders during Friday prayers. We tell them how important it is to allow children to go to school. Our town chief also supports us.
We have some challenges. I’m using a megaphone and I can’t reach more than 50 or 60 people per awareness raising session in the field because it is not loud enough. We would like to buy a loudspeaker. Another challenge is the accessibility of our town. When a GBV case is reported in our community, we need the police to intervene. But our road is not good, so it can take time.
Some people continue to criticize what I do, and I have been threatened. But I am not afraid. I am committed to doing this as long as I am alive.”
Through a human rights education programme implemented since 2017 in Burkina Faso, Senegal and Sierra Leone, Amnesty International is working alongside local partners and organizations to combat gender-based violence through education, awareness-raising and advocacy, with a view to changing attitudes and behaviours and helping to reform legislation in these countries.
Gender-based violence affects us all, but together we can create a safer world for everyone.
EnrolL On Amnesty’s online course on confronting and countering gender-based violence.
