Sphere, Vykhod and other human rights defenders urge the UN to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Russia

An international coalition of human rights organizations, including the Russian LGBT initiatives Sphere and Vykhod , has called on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. Human rights defenders emphasize the importance of this step amid ongoing pressure on civil society.

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Russia was established in 2022. Currently, this position is held by Bulgarian journalist and human rights defender Mariana Katzarova. As the authors of the appeal note, the Special Rapporteur’s office remains the only independent international mechanism that systematically monitors and documents human rights violations directly inside the country.

“Extending the mandate is necessary to document violations and maintain international attention to the persecution of civil society,” Sphere said in a statement.

In her previous reports to the UN General Assembly, Mariana Katzarova has repeatedly drawn attention to repressive legislation against LGBT people, the persecution of independent journalists and lawyers, and the overall deterioration of freedom of speech and assembly in Russia. The Russian authorities have consistently denied the Special Rapporteur entry to the country and do not recognize her mandate.