Human Rights in Russia: Analytical Report 2025-2026

Russia entered 2026 in the fourth year of its full-scale war on Ukraine, still running Article 207.3 anti-war prosecutions, the "extremist LGBT movement" designation, Navalny successor cases, journalist criminalisation, religious minority persecution, and the ongoing crackdown on all forms of independent civil society. Russia has become one of the largest sources of asylum claims in Europe and North America, with UK grant rates ~72% and Canadian rates ~76%.[1]

The evidence base draws on UN OHCHR, UN Special Rapporteur on Russia, OSCE Moscow Mechanism reports, OVD-Info, Memorial (in exile), the Russian LGBT Network, ILGA-Europe, RSF, and jurisdictions-specific Country Policy Information Notes.

Political Context

Russia in 2025-2026 continues under Putin's fifth term following the March 2024 election. Post-Navalny death February 2024 opposition is fragmented but continues from exile — Yulia Navalnaya, Vladimir Milov, Leonid Volkov. Prigozhin's death June 2023 removed one major disruptor. State consolidation continues. Post-war political scenarios uncertain.[2]

Anti-War Prosecutions

Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code criminalises "discrediting" the armed forces. Enacted 4 March 2022 within days of the full-scale invasion. Penalties up to 15 years imprisonment. See our companion political opposition article.[3]

Article 207.3 in Practice

Applies to social media posts, protest activity, journalism. Vladimir Kara-Murza — 25-year sentence (later included in prisoner exchange). Alexei Gorinov — 7-year sentence. Alsu Kurmasheva — dual-national journalist prosecuted. Hundreds of similar cases documented by OVD-Info.

Related Provisions

Article 275.1 — "confidential cooperation" with foreign states. Article 280 — public incitement of extremism. Article 282 — hate speech (weaponised against opposition).

Forced Mobilization

Following September 2022 partial mobilisation and continuing mobilisation practices, Russian Criminal Code Articles 337 (unauthorised departure), 338 (desertion), and 332 (refusal to serve) are actively enforced. See our companion forced mobilization article.[4]

LGBT Persecution

The "extremist LGBT movement" designation of 30 November 2023 by Russia's Supreme Court criminalised the entire LGBT community. Practical implications include the following.[5]

Membership in "LGBT movement" — up to 10 years imprisonment. "Rehabilitation of extremism" — for public LGBT visibility. Financing "extremism" — for donations to LGBT organisations. Business closures — bars, clubs, services. Family court child removal risks. Community group prosecutions ongoing.

Journalists

RSF documents Russia as one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists. Prosecutions include.[6]

Ivan Safronov — 22 years for "treason". Ivan Golunov — trumped-up drug charges (later dropped after protests). Alsu Kurmasheva — dual-national. Vladimir Kara-Murza — Article 207.3. Andrei Pivovarov — Open Russia. Foreign correspondents expelled or barred.

Religious Persecution

Multiple religious groups face documented persecution.[7]

Jehovah's Witnesses — banned as "extremist" 2017; ~350 currently imprisoned. Krishna followers (ISKCON) — pressure and criminal cases. Scientology — banned; leaders prosecuted. Falun Gong followers — restrictions. Muslim minorities — particularly Hizb ut-Tahrir prosecutions. Baptist churches (unregistered) — periodic prosecutions.

"Foreign Agents" Law

The Foreign Agents Law framework has expanded continuously since 2012. Current framework (post-2022 amendments) covers individuals and organisations receiving foreign funding or "under foreign influence". Consequences include restrictions on activity, obligation to mark all communications, financial reporting burdens. Non-compliance triggers criminal prosecution.[8]

Ethnic Minorities

Chechens — Ramzan Kadyrov's rule; Chechen LGBT persecution. Ingush — post-2018 territory protest prosecutions. Crimean Tatars — post-2014 annexation persecution. Circassians — continuing marginalisation. Buryats, Sakha (Yakut), Tuvans — disproportionate mobilisation.

Strongest Asylum Profiles

Return Risk

Returnees face documented risks at Sheremetyevo and other airports:[9]

Phone/device examination. Social media history checks. Passport annotations. Outstanding administrative or criminal cases queried. Family targeting during absence. Diaspora activism surveilled.

Displacement Numbers

~800,000-1,000,000+ estimated emigrated since February 2022. Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Israel, Turkey, Serbia primary destinations. ~150,000+ asylum claims worldwide since 2022. Grant rates high — UK ~72%, Germany ~78%, Canada ~76%.

Russia's crackdown on all forms of civil society, opposition, media, LGBT community, ethnic minorities, and religious minorities produces sustained asylum demand. Grant rates reflect the well-documented conditions. Country expert reports remain essential across all profiles.
UK Home Office CPIN Russia 2024-2025

Conclusion

Russia human rights in 2025-2026 remain in continuing deep crisis. Anti-war prosecutions, LGBT criminalisation, mobilisation forcing, journalist targeting, religious persecution, ethnic minority pressure. 20,000+ documented arrests since 2022. Multiple strong asylum profiles produce grant rates 72-90%. See our companion forced mobilization article, political opposition article, and forthcoming Russia return risk assessment.