Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday designated the Russian Anti-War Committee as a terrorist organization, marking the latest escalation against civic groups opposed to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Founded in early 2022, the Anti-War Committee is made up of prominent opposition figures living in exile, including former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, chess champion Garry Kasparov and economist Sergei Guriev.
The organization’s stated mission is to support anti-war Russians and create a space for solidarity, action and mutual assistance for people who oppose the war against Ukraine.
On Monday, the Supreme Court accused the Anti-War Committee of “promoting, justifying and supporting terrorism,” adding that its activities are “directed and overseen” by Khodorkovsky, who has lived in the United Kingdom since 2015.
The terrorist designation was said to have stemmed from a ruling by a military court in November to jail exiled politician and Anti-War Committee member Leonid Gozman to 10 years in prison in absentia for “justifying terrorism.”
Russian authorities labeled the Anti-War Committee an “undesirable” organization in January 2024, putting its members at risk of imprisonment and criminalizing any engagement with the group, including sharing its content online.
The FSB security service announced terrorism charges against 23 members of the organization in October.
