According to the OVD-Info human rights group, which tracks political arrests, 6,440 people were arrested before February the 28th in anti-war demonstrations in 103 different Russian cities. However, despite a police crackdown, the protests show little sign of abating.
Source: euronews
According to the Commission, the military attack could lead to one of Europe's largest humanitarian crises. Therefore, it is ready to activate a never-used mechanism to help Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion. This mechanism was approved in 2001 after the wars in Yugoslavia and Kosovo. It is intended to regulate the allocation of refugees according to the accommodation capacities of each country.
Source: euronews
The proposed law — the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill — will lay the foundations for a register identifying foreign owners of U.K. property. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained his decision is aimed at supporters of the Russian government who will have “nowhere to hide your ill-gotten gains”.
Source: politico.eu
The establishment of a special international tribunal to try Russia’s leaders will be backed by Ukraine´s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba. He stated that even if the enemy is strong, he is confident that ”International law is on our side, and hopefully it will make its own contribution to help us prevail.” This initiative is separate from the claim to hold Russia accountable at the international criminal court in The Hague.
Source: The Guardian
Russia boycotted hearings at the U.N.'s highest court organised as Ukraine is seeking to halt hostilities and declaring the Russian military attack as a genocide. The case is based on the interpretation of a 1948 treaty on the prevention of genocide.
Source: Reuters
International students and people who immigrated to Ukraine for work are now trying to get out of the country and many have stated that they are facing discrimination based on their racial identity and country of origin. The reason is apparently the decision to prioritise evacuating Ukrainian women and children. However, UN experts said they were seriously concerned about reports of people of African descent and other ethnic minorities being treated in a discriminatory way.
Source: hrw.org
Mass arrests were carried out on 6 March in 69 Russian cities. More than 4,800 people were detained at demonstrations, where some were “beaten, grabbed by their hair, doused in water and antiseptic, or even tasered”. The independent monitor OVD-Info has declared that, since February 24, around 13,000 people have been arrested in Russia.
Source: Meduza
In an attempt to tighten controls over what information Russian citizens can see about the invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has blocked Facebook and Twitter and introduced a new law criminalising the “intentional spreading of what Moscow deems to be “fake” reports”. From now on, everyone who shares information that goes against the Russian government’s narrative on the war can risk prison sentences of up to 15 years.
Source: Time
Member states of the EU have agreed on the fourth package of sanctions against Russia as a consequence of its invasion of Ukraine. They consist of an import ban on Russian steel and iron, an export ban on luxury goods including cars worth more than 50,000 euros, and a ban on investments in oil companies and the energy sector. Moreover, the package will block access to funds from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Source: rferl