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                   EU Worried by Russia's Human Rights Record

   by Reuters

   The European Union criticized Russia's human rights record on Sunday,
   saying it was increasingly concerned at a wave of restrictive
   legislation and prosecutions against activists.
   The 27-nation bloc cited the cases of protesters arrested at a
   demonstration on the eve of President Vladimir Putin's inauguration
   last year who are still awaiting trial, and a new law requiring
   charities with funding from abroad to register as "foreign agents".
   "Both sides discussed at length the worrying situation of civil society
   in the Russian Federation," the EU said in a statement, which followed
   a meeting on human rights with Russian officials in Brussels on Friday.
   Human rights groups in Russia accuse Putin of a clampdown on dissent
   since he returned as president, which they say is designed to tighten
   his grip on power.
   On a trip to Moscow this month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
   avoided harsh criticism of Russia's record on civil liberties as he
   sought the Kremlin's help in securing a political solution to the
   conflict in Syria.
   The European Union said it would closely watch developments affecting
   non-governmental organizations in Russia, and asked the government to
   ensure that defense lawyers were able to work freely.
   The Kremlin has denied carrying out a crackdown on opponents and says
   it does not use the courts for political ends.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-worried-by-russia-human-rights-rec
   ord/1664187.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-worried-by-russia-human-rights-record/1664187.html