Russian Court Backs Closing of Chechen Rights Group

Authorities sometimes regard activism as extremism, especially when groups criticize government policy. Russian authorities put a stop to the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, after the group reprinted statements by Chechen separatists, linked to the mass school killing in 2004. The group is funded by organizations based in the West, and Russia has passed laws prohibiting anyone convicted of extremism from joining such non-governmental organizations. But such regulations probably won’t deter activists drawn to places of conflict, passionate about promoting justice. – YaleGlobal