Today Russia and human rights are both high on the international agenda. Since Putin returned to the presidency in 2012, domestic developments--from the prosecution of Pussy Riot to the release of Khodorkovsky--and Russia's global role, especially in relation to Ukraine, have captured the attention of the world. The role of human rights activism inside Russia is, therefore, coming under ever greater international scrutiny. Since 1991, when the Russian Federation became an independent state, hundreds of organisations have been created to champion human rights causes, with varying strategies, and successes. The response of the authorities has ranged from being supportive, or indifferent, to openly hostile. Based on archival research and practical experience working in the community, Mark McAuley here provides a clear and comprehensive analysis of the progress made by human rights organisations in Russia--and the challenges which will confront them in the future.

Preface and AcknowledgementsIntroductionPART I: THE GOLDEN DECADE1 Perestroika to 1993: Seedbed for Human Rights2 Human Rights Organizations: First Shoots3 Early Debates over Rights and Strategies4 Local Differences, Tackling Isolationism5 Western Assistance, An Extraordinary Congress PART II: TAKING STOCK6 The Civic Forum of 2001: to Tango or to Sit it Out7 Activists and Popular Attitudes PART III: ACTIVISTS in ACTION8 Army and Police Reform9 Prison Inspectors and Juvenile Courts10 Domestic Violence, Refugees, the Memorial Society PART IV: TWENTY YEARS ON11 Young Lawyers Step Forward12 Human Rights, Society, and Politics in 2013Conclusion