The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have welcomed proposals from the Commission to end the use of abusive lawsuits against journalists, NGOs and civil society in the EU. In November 2021, the European Parliament called for new EU rules to stop abusive legal action intended to intimidate and silence critical voices. A large…
Law and Justice
Fresh Concern Voiced about Safety of Journalists
A debate in Brussels discussed the annual report of the Council of Europe Platform for the safety of Journalists. The report, “Defending Press Freedom in Times of Tension and Conflict”, illustrates the dangers journalists face in their work both within the EU and beyond its borders. It covers issues including the impact of the war…
Russia must be held to account for violence against women in Ukraine
The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova addressed the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine and the expert committee, initiated by the OSCE-states in complying with the Moscow Mechanism, requesting to register the war crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine. “Sexual violence in armed conflict is qualified as a war…
Patriarch Kirill should be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Human Rights Without Frontiers, a Brussels-based NGO, has appealed to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim A. A. Khan QC, to hold personally accountable and prosecute Vladimir Mikhaïlovitch Goundiaïev, known as Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, for inspiring, inciting, justifying, aiding and abetting war crimes (Art. 8 of the Rome Statute) and crimes…
Russian Traders Strategies to Evade Sanctions
While Russia is targeted by economic sanctions, importers are actively seeking for the ways to evade them. Money transfer and logistics are the key issues to their strategies. According to open source intelligence (OSINT), the Kremlin may be opting for the following ways to avoid the restrictions imposed by sanctions. Running entities in third countries…
Moscow Tries to Stir It in Sweden
For the fourth day in a row, riots have raged in the Swedish cities of Linköping, Norrköping, Stockholm, Örebro, Malmö, and Landskrone after far-right politician Rasmus Paludan, who heads the Danish anti-immigration party Stram Kurs (“Hard Course”) publicly burned a Koran, saying he would do it again in other cities across Sweden. Some 100 opponents…
The Most Notorious War Criminal of Our Times
After the Russian army left the Kyiv region, it became possible to think over the development of the current tragedy: the Russian military began the systematic destruction of the civilian population as early as the first days of March. For almost a month dead people who were shot lay on the streets of Bucha, Irpin,…
The Bucha Massacre
According to our European partners, is it crucial not to provoke russians? (a bitter irony). Is it crucial that the World War III does not break out? writes Mikhail Podiliak All that matters is that Russians not being upset about Ukraine and don’t use… Don’t use what? Missiles, bombs, tanks, commit no massacres of civilians,…
The Culture of Russian Barbarians
Every time you talk about the great Russian ballet, I will tell you the story of a young teacher from Brovary who was repeatedly raped in front of her parents and then kidnapped by Russian monsters. About dozens, maybe hundreds of raped Ukrainian women, writes #OlenaPshenychna. Often in front of children. About 15-16-year-old girls from…
Regulating Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum should no longer be an Eldorado for money laundering and terrorist financing, say MEPs. “Regulating cryptocurrencies is just as important as the fight against terrorism. It’s clear that, especially now with Russia’s horrible war on Ukraine, we have to get this right. We need to make sure our law…