Kremlin's crackdown on dissent extends to young people, says human rights group Amnesty.
Criticism of the Ukraine war in Russia can be risky business. As per Amnesty International, Russian authorities are escalating their crackdown on minors who don't align with the Kremlin's views. Here are some of Amnesty's examples of this disturbing phenomenon.
Russians in power are alleged to be singling out children who speak out against the Ukraine conflict. In a chilling report, Amnesty International details how these youngsters are being hunted down, indoctrinated through school curriculums, and even manipulated to bully their parents. As Oleg Koslowsky, an expert with Amnesty Russia, put it, "Despite all the Kremlin's talk about protecting families, the connection between children and parents is being cynically exploited to persecute critics."
Educational institutions and their staff have been transformed into weapons of persecution and arbitrary government intervention. Youngsters are being brainwashed with false, state-approved narratives. Since the start of Russia's conflict with Ukraine, patriotism classes have been mandated in schools. Amnesty's research contains instances of this, such as 10-year-old Warwara Galkina. She was interrogated by Moscow police because her WhatsApp account displayed a pro-Ukrainian doodle as her profile picture. The police also intimidated Warwara's mom, Elena Jolicoeur, and raided the family's home, according to the report.
Jolicoeur ended up fleeing Russia due to the situation. "I didn't want my children to live a life where they needed to pretend they agreed with the government or back the war," she explained to Amnesty. Another case highlighted in the report is that of 16-year-old Yegor Balasejkin from St. Petersburg. Balasejkin was reportedly sentenced to six years in prison by a military tribunal for allegedly hurling bottles filled with gasoline and diesel at two army conscription centers.
"His harmless actions were met with disproportionate charges of 'terrorist attacks'," reads the Amnesty dossier. Child welfare authorities didn't intervene in any of these incidents. "In this twisted society that Russia has become, the police, courts, and even schools are threats to youngsters if they disagree with the government," Koslowsky said.
Read also:
- The 'Attack on Ukraine' has triggered a surge in censorship and suppression, with children being targeted in Moscow's crackdown on dissent related to the Ukraine conflict.
- Amnesty International's report on the Russia-Ukraine conflict reveals that children who express opposing views, such as 10-year-old Warwara Galkina with a pro-Ukrainian doodle, face intimidation and harsh consequences, even leading families like Elena Jolicoeur's to seek asylum.
- The Kremlin's actions, including using Patriotism classes as a tool and manipulating children against their parents, have been condemned by Oleg Koslowsky of Amnesty Russia, highlighting the chilling transformation of education and government intervention in 'Russia'.
