Fined for yellow and blue shoes: How Russian laws smother dissent

In Russia, dissent is not tolerated and Kremlin critics face a range of laws that can be used against them. These laws target basic rights such as freedom of speech and assembly, and punishments are often disproportionate to the offense. The law on spreading "deliberately false information" about the Russian army has been widely used to silence critics of the war in Ukraine, with over 300 people charged or convicted under it. Other laws penalize "discrediting" the Russian army, and target individuals or organizations deemed to have received money from abroad or be under "foreign influence." These laws have contributed to a climate of repression in Russia, where dissent is not tolerated and critics are silenced through legal means.