Russia bans US-based pressure group Human Rights Watch

Russia added Human Rights Watch to its list of “undesirable” organisations on Friday, effectively banning the New York-based pressure group from operating on its territory.Russia did not give a reason for the decision, and Human Rights Watch, which was forced to shutter its offices in Russia in 2022, did not immediately comment.Since Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine in February 2022, the country’s justice ministry has banned dozens of groups critical of Kremlin policy