The legality of the repression of freedom of speech by the Russian Government

Abstract

A basic human right, freedom of expression is upheld and safeguarded by several international and domestic legal systems. It is an essential component of a democratic society and promotes the free interchange of ideas, encourages candid discussion, and safeguards personal freedom. To balance it with other significant interests like national security, public order, public health, other people's rights and reputations, and the preservation of moral values, it may, nevertheless, be subject to some restrictions. However, a rising number of constraints and restrictions have damaged the Russian government's approach to the media, raising questions about the country's press freedom and freedom of speech. Despite constitutional guarantees and international obligations to protect these rights, the Russian government has implemented various measures that curtail the independence and diversity of the mass media landscape. Due to ambiguous extremism laws in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation that specifically target journalists and the mass media critical of the Russian government, the Russian government has a significant amount of power to censor any form of speech. As a result, the Russian government does not have the freedom to freely disseminate information. However, the russian government's actions are justified to uphold strict control over the country's political environment, censor the media due to concerns about national security, defend the nation against terrorism and extremism, preserve political stability, and uphold social cohesion and stability within the nation. Even though there are international organizations and international human rights legal instruments protecting the right to free speech and the safety of journalists and other media organizations, Russia cannot be sanctioned by them due to Russia having a seat in the UN Security Council and no longer a part of the European council whilst these international instruments does not have legally binding power, making it difficult for journalists and other media organizations to carry out their jobs. Journalists frequently face censorship, and their content is suppressed or outlawed.