On 8/7 the Federation Council listed 12 foreign NGOs they believe should be declared ‘undesirable’. On 22/7 U.S.-based MacArthur Foundation said it would close its Russia office. On 28/7 prosecutors determined the National Endowment for Democracy to be ‘undesirable’. On 8/7 the private donor Dynasty Foundation, designated a ‘foreign agent’, announced its closure. On 21/7 the Justice Ministry warned 12 NGOs for failing to indicate their ‘foreign agent’ status on publications and designated Komi Memorial Human Rights Commission a ‘foreign agent’. On 22/7 a court fined the NGO Perm-36 for failing to register as a ‘foreign agent.’ On 24/7 the Committee Against Torture announced it would close.

Freedom of expression 

On 3/7 the Duma passed a bill to force search engines to remove results about a person at that person's request. On 12/7 Evgeny Khamaganov, editor of the Asia-Russia Today website, was assaulted in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia. On 14/7 an Orel region court convicted Aleksandr Byvshev of ‘inciting enmity’ for a poem. On 23/7 the Supreme Court upheld a 7-year jail sentence against journalist Boris Stomakhin, convicted of inciting terrorism. On 20/7 Roskomnadzor warned Novaya gazeta over bad language; and on 22/7 warned YouTube over copyright violations. On 28/7 Elena Klimova was fined 50,000 roubles for ‘gay propaganda.’

Elections 

On 1/7 the Constitutional Court upheld the legality of early parliamentary elections. On 28/7 three activists went on hunger strike in Novosibirsk to protest against the authorities’ decision to disqualify them from a local election.

International law 

On 2/7 the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) agreed to rule in a case on the 2004 Beslan school hostage-taking. On 6/7 the Constitutional Court ruled lawmaking and law enforcement officials must comply with Russia’s international commitments. On 14/7 the Constitutional Court ruled Russia can in certain cases not implement ECtHR judgments.

Military 

On 11/7 Gazeta.ru reported several dozen contract soldiers could face terms in prison for having left their unit for fear of being sent to Ukraine. On 16/7 it was reported Denis Ovodov, a 19-year-old conscript in Chelyabinsk region, died on 11/7 after being beaten by a superior.

Hate crime 

On 14/7 Moscow officials rejected a proposal to put up a memorial to Boris Nemtsov. On 14/7 a jury found ultranationalist leader Ilya Goryachev guilty of organizing high-profile killings. On 24/7 he was sentenced to life in prison.

North Caucasus 

On 4/7 authorities said two militants and a soldier were killed in an operation in Dagestan; and on 23/7 that security forces killed six militants in Kabardino-Balkaria.

Ukraine 

On 7/7 the Investigative Committee announced new charges against Nadia Savchenko, accusing her of direct participation in killing two reporters, along with existing charges. On 13/7 an indictment against Savchenko was sent to a Rostov region court. On 30/7 Savchenko’s trial began in a court in a town in Rostov region. On 23/7 rights ombudsman Ella Pamfilova said officials had failed to disclose Savchenko’s location. On 10/7 Russia said it would oppose a UN resolution to establish an international tribunal to prosecute those who shot down Malaysian Flight MH17. On 16/7 President Putin said he opposed such a tribunal; on 29/7 Russia vetoed a UN resolution. On 17/7 a court issued an arrest warrant for Ilya Ponomarev, sole State Duma member to oppose Crimea annexation. On 21/7 the trial of Oleg Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko began in Rostov-on-Don on charges of plotting terrorist acts in Crimea. On 28/7 investigators summoned Crimean Tatar leaders for questioning.