By Andrei Kovalev

Recent events in Russia raise serious questions about the effectiveness of current international human rights legislation. The question has particular urgency, because there can be no doubt that there is more to come. The Russian authorities have gone too far to stop now: the fabrication of the criminal cases against participants in the Bolotnaya Square demonstration in Moscow on 6th May 2012, the continued prosecution of political opponents, the abduction of Leonid Razvozzhaev from Ukrainian territory when he was seeking political asylum in Kiev from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the introduction of a raft of punitive laws to deal with anyone who falls out of favour. [Read more]