MOSCOW, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Tanya Lokshina, director of Russian programs at Human Rights Watch, called for more pressure on the Kremlin to erase laws against civic organizations.
"For months now, [human rights groups] have been fighting through the courts," she said in a statement Thursday. "In some cases they are winning, but these are battles they shouldn't have to face."
Thursday marks the first anniversary of a law passed that requires advocacy groups to register as "foreign agents" if they get some of their backing from outside Russia. Human Rights Watch said the measure is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's effort to silence his critics.
Lokshina said the measure runs counter to Russia's international obligations to protect basic civil rights. She said the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in the Russian resort city of Sochi should serve as an opportunity to put pressure on the Putin administration.
"Now is the time to urge President Putin to repeal the abusive provisions in the 'foreign agents' law once and for all," she said.
Putin has pledged to address concerns over the measure. He defended it as a move to increase transparency .
