2026

This report provides an analytical review of how Russian anti-extremism laws were used in 2025 to regulate public speech and organized activities.

This is an analytic review focused on the phenomenon, known as hate crimes – that is, on ordinary criminal offenses committed on the grounds of ethnic, religious or other similar enmity or prejudice.

Over the course of 2025, the legislation of interest to us — on countering extremism and terrorism, as well as related provisions affecting freedom of expression and freedom of association — underwent a number of significant changes. Most of them were aimed at tightening regulations, with some exceptions. In this report, we summarize the most important changes, as well as several relevant decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Russia.