April 03, 2023

Too Free for Russia


Too Free for Russia
The Russian Prosecutor General's office Photo bank Moscow-Live, Flickr

The Russian Prosecutor General's office has declared the Free University an "undesirable" organization. “Undesirable” organizations are prohibited from working in Russia, and administrative and criminal penalties may follow for any cooperation with such organizations.

According to the Russian Prosecutor General's press service, the teaching staff of the Free University "popularizes the activities of organizations recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation" and uses literature with an "anti-Russian character."

The press service also said that students of the university are "forming a persistent hostility to Russia” and that the organizational structure of the university includes people who "question the territorial integrity of the Russian state” and "publicly condemn the actions and decisions of the Russian authorities."

The Free University was established in 2020 by professors dismissed from leading Russian universities on political grounds. The university espouses the values of academic freedom and autonomy and offers free online courses.

Kirill Martynov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta Europe and a co-founder of the university, tweeted that the Free University will continue to work despite the new status, but will review safety protocols. "You yourself are undesirable," he replied to the Russian government.

Another co-founder of the university, professor Hasan Huseynov, said in an interview that students and teachers who are in Russia and Belarus may have to leave those countries. However, according to Meduza, most of the Free University teaching staff are already outside Russia. Many left after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Currently, there are 77 organizations on the Russian list of "undesirables.” Among them are the forum Free Russia registered in Lithuania; the American non-governmental organization Andrei Sakharov Foundation; and the popular publication Meduza. Transparency International, a respected international anti-corruption non-governmental organization headquartered in Berlin, was also recently included in the list.

 

 

 

 

You Might Also Like

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955