TALLINN, Estonia — Russian authorities have cracked down on extra human rights teams, ordering one to close down and raiding the houses of advocates from one other - the newest steps in a clampdown that has intensified to unprecedented ranges for the reason that Kremlin despatched troops into Ukraine.

And President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed amendments introducing into legislation life imprisonment because the punishment for treason. Previously, the utmost sentence on this cost, which has been more and more levied towards Russians in recent times, was 20 years.

Police on Friday searched the houses of three legal professionals with a rights group that advocates towards torture and presents authorized help, Team Against Torture.

The group stated in a web-based assertion that the raids in Nizhny Novgorod, a big metropolis in western Russia, got here as a part of a felony probe launched earlier. No different particulars got out of issues for security of the individuals the group helps, the assertion stated.

On Thursday, a courtroom in Moscow ordered the shutdown of the Sova Center, a outstanding non-governmental group that screens racism and xenophobia in Russia, in addition to implementation of anti-extremism legal guidelines.

The authorities accused the group of violating its authorized registration in Moscow by collaborating in occasions exterior the Russian capital.

Earlier this 12 months, Russia’s oldest rights group - the Moscow Helsinki Group - was shut down over the identical violation. The group appealed the choice, however an appellate courtroom on Friday upheld it.

In a press release following the courtroom listening to, Sova Center rejected the accusations and vowed to enchantment the ruling, persevering with its work within the meantime.

The transfer towards the group prompted criticism within the West.

German authorities spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann stated Russia’s home crackdown appeared to have been stepped up in parallel with the assault on Ukraine.

“This closure adds to a sad list of important non-governmental organizations shut down by the Russian government, including Memorial and the Moscow Helsinki Group,” Hoffmann stated.

“It’s a fact that there is no freedom of opinion anymore in Russia,” she advised reporters in Berlin.

Hoffmann additionally accused the Kremlin of “constantly seeking new excuses to extend” the imprisonment of opposition chief Alexei Navalny, who's dealing with a brand new trial in coming weeks on the costs of extremism and but yet one more felony probe, this time on terrorism fees.

The politician, who's already serving a nine-year jail time period, stated he could possibly be taking a look at a life sentence, if charged and convicted of terrorism.

Navalny, 46, was arrested in January 2021 upon returning to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.

He initially acquired a 2½-year jail sentence for a parole violation. Last 12 months, he was sentenced to a nine-year time period for fraud and contempt of courtroom. He is at the moment serving time at a maximum-security jail 250 kilometers (150 miles) east of Moscow.

Hoffmann referred to as on Russia to make sure Navalny receives obligatory medical remedy denied him “despite the obvious worsening of his health” - one thing his allies have reported just lately.

Asked whether or not Germany would once more give Navalny shelter if he had been in a position to return to Germany, she stated: “I strongly assume so.”

• Jordans reported from Berlin.

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