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Boris Kuznetsov: “Authorities should not lie—that’s the main lesson of the Kursk submarine disaster”

Details: 11 August 2020

On August 12, 2000, during Russian Northern Fleet military exercises in the Barents Sea, a torpedo explosion sank the Kursk nuclear submarine. As a result of Russian authorities’ inadequate actions, all 118 sailors on board died. On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, IMR editor Olga Khvostunova spoke with Boris Kuznetsov, who represented 55 families of the deceased crew. According to the lawyer, two decades after the Kursk disaster, the Kremlin has not yet learned its main lesson.

Details: Analysis

With or Without Lukashenko, Belarus Will Change

Details: 11 August 2020; Yana Gorokhovskaia

The post-election protests gripping Belarus now are part of an established cycle of rigged elections and street mobilization spanning twenty years. President Alexander Lukashenko may survive this challenge: last night, his key opponent, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was forced to leave the country. But her campaign captured the public’s desire for change that will likely bring about the end of the regime.

Details: Analysis

How Putin’s Constitutional Amendments Affect the Judiciary

Details: 04 August 2020; Ekaterina Mishina

Amendments to the Russian Constitution that came into force a month ago, introduced unprecedented changes to the country’s Basic Law—unseen since its adoption almost 27 years ago. Both legal practitioners and scholars agree that constitutional rights and freedoms of the Russian people are now in jeopardy.

Details: Human Rights

July 2020: The Case of Yuri Dmitriev, Prosecution of Journalists, Searches of Oppositionists

Details: 03 August 2020; Diana Fishman

A month ago we wrote that June had been the most abundant month so far in terms of cases of political persecution and human rights violations in Russia. We were wrong: the July developments show that repressive policies are only gaining momentum. The pressure on the press has sharply increased, as evidenced by the resonant cases of journalists Svetlana Prokopyeva and Ivan Safronov. In a politically motivated case, human rights activist Yuri Dmitriev was found guilty of violent actions against a minor. And searches were carried out at the homes of Open Russia employees and MediaZona founder Pyotr Verzilov.

Details: Analysis

How the Putin Regime Perceives US Protests

Details: 29 July 2020; Dmitry Shlapentokh

As the protests over racial injustice and police brutality continue in the United States, the Kremlin is closely watching, but seemingly remains unfazed. The reason for this calm is that the imagery of chaos and violence coming from America validates one of Vladimir Putin’s core messages: liberal ideas lead to disorder, while a strong hand guarantees stability.

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