Russian authorities target human rights group in series of raids.

Russian security forces raided the homes of former employees of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group Memorial, taking some of its members in for questioning. Memorial was officially banned in late 2021 after the authorities claimed it supported terrorism and extremism, charges that it called absurd. The raids were condemned by rights groups internationally as well as what remains of Russia’s domestic opposition. Since invading Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin has accelerated Russia’s drive to suppress dissenting voices, including independent media, nongovernmental rights groups and political opponents.