2026-02-05

61. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action Ireland is taking in relation to the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and the undermining of democracy and the rule of law in Russia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8285/26]

Deputy Ardagh and I are trying to establish what the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is doing regarding the repression of civil society and democratic opposition and the undermining of democracy and the rule of law in Russia.

Ireland remains deeply concerned at the ongoing erosion of human rights and democracy in Russia, which has been exacerbated by Russia’s illegal, full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have seen a heightened number of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as harassment and persecution, of peaceful anti-war activists, human rights defenders, journalists, cultural figures, members of the LGBTQI+ community and ethnic minorities. Domestic opposition leaders have been arrested and prosecuted. Legislation has been introduced to limit civil society activity in Russia. The Russian authorities are rapidly expanding the numbers of individuals designated as foreign agents, terrorists or extremists to inhibit further any remaining scope for open political discussion. Mariana Katzarova, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia has reported that there are over 2,000 political prisoners in Russia, many of whom face life-threatening conditions. Some, including Alexei Navalny, have died in detention. In her September 2025 report, the special rapporteur highlighted the prosecution of at least 912 people on politically motivated grounds between 2024 and mid-2025. At the Human Rights Council in September 2025, Ireland participated in an interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur, where we condemned the widespread use of torture, enforced disappearances, and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment and punishment as tools for systematic oppression by Russia. As an EU member, Ireland has supported the EU’s response to the accelerating and systematic repression in Russia, including the adoption of a specific sanctions regime relating to the human rights situation in Russia in 2024. This regime allows for restrictive measures to be imposed on those responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia. I commend the bravery of those Russian citizens who, despite great personal risks and under extremely difficult conditions, continue to work towards a free and democratic future for Russia, which respects human rights and the rule of law.

For the past four years, the world has been focused on Russian aggression and the appalling war in Ukraine perpetrated on a foreign, sovereign people by the megalomaniac that is Putin. We have lost sight of what may be happening within Russia itself, and that is understandable. When we think of opposition in Russia, we think of the late, brave Alexei Navalny, whose second anniversary will be marked next week. We are aware of the commitments and the strength of his wife Yulia in the aftermath of his death and her commitment to carry on the campaign. Prosecutors in Russia have banned 78 organisations as undesirable, including prominent human rights groups. Human Rights Watch itself was designated undesirable. What we can do on our own is very limited. Will the Minister of State tell us the degree to which there is active engagement between ourselves and our European partners to support opposition and to support civil society organisations in Russia?

There are a couple of measures there. First and foremost, Ireland has fully supported all 19 sanctions packages promoted by the European Union against Russia, the latest of which was agreed in October 2025. A 20th package of sanctions is currently being worked on and Ireland will be to the fore in supporting it. We absolutely condemn Russia's withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Ireland is a consistent funder of a range of human rights-dependent organisations around the world, and we acknowledge the very real atrocities that are being carried out in Russia by the Russian regime. I might just raise one concern. We talk about the very real, brave opposition people who have been repressed, but we have not mentioned the very worrying number of, quite frankly, foreign stooges propagating from Russia - some of whom have Irish citizenship - talking about the regime and spreading misinformation and disinformation. We also need to be in a position to call them out and challenge them for their craven propaganda towards this regime.

It is interesting that the Minister of State talks about stooges. There are 450 members of the Russian Duma. One wonders how many of them are actual puppets or stooges because we have not heard very much in the West about any opposition from the ranks of the Duma to the activities of Putin and his foul regime. One would wonder how, on the law of averages, among 450 people, there are not, if even by chance, some people who have some moral integrity and who might have some of the courage that Navalny displayed when he literally put himself in a situation where he was inevitably going to be murdered, as he eventually was by the Putin regime. I reiterate it is vitally important, through whatever measures possible, that Europe supports those who are trying to build a normal, decent, civilised society in Russia and to save the people of Russia from the monsters that control them at present.

It should be really important to say the Irish Government condemns the Russian Government. The Irish Government and our European partners condemn the regime of Putin and those who support it and fund it, particularly the oligarchs. We have great sympathy for the people of Russia who live in a state of fear and repression and it has been made quite clear what happens to those who speak out against the regime. Alexei Navalny, whose death we mourn, is the most obvious one. We also have to remember that the efforts made to counter this have to be made primarily at a European level, be that through the European Union or the Council of Europe. One thing that always strikes me is that not only do we have Irish-accented stooges broadcasting on social media from Russia, but we have countless numbers of MEPs, including Irish MEPs, who fail to actually vote with the European consensus in criticising Russia, backing sanctions or indeed stating support for those who speak out in favour of human rights within the Russian Federation.