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<H1
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class=gmail-title>Environmental defenders under threat</H1>
<DIV><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px">On
World Environmental Day (June 5), the Russian Social-Ecological Union (RSEU)
reporting of ongoing attacks on environmental defenders. Over the 5 months of
2020, 63 new episodes were recorded in relation to more than 170 eco-activists,
groups and NGOs in 20 regions of Russia at 32 environmental struggles. RSEU has
been monitoring persecution of environmentalists since 2012 and demands solving
environmental problems and protecting eco-activists.</SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px">From
January to May 2020 at least 10 environmental activists were subjected to
attacks, property damage and threats (7 persons for January-May 2019). It is
known that 4 new criminal cases were opened (5 cases in January-May 2019). In
relation to 98 activists administrative offense reports were drawn up (110 in
January-May 2019), including 41 stay-home regime violation reports.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px">“<I>The
attacks on environmental defenders are systemic: unsolved environmental problems
lead to conflicts, and conflicts are accompanied by the persecution of
eco-activists. The global environmental crisis leads to an increase of human
rights violations and attacks on environmentalists. Russia is no exception. Only
a systemic change in the relationship between man and nature will solve these
problems</I>”, - says Vitaly Servetnik, RSEU co-chair.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"><B>RSEU
demands</B> to stop pressure on environmental defenders, to investigate all
cases of attacks to and harassment of eco-activists. A necessary measure to
protect them is the proper investigation of environmental violations, the
resistance of which involves cases of prosecution. To prevent conflicts, free
access to information and broad public participation on environmentally
significant issues should be ensured.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"> </P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px">Read
the full article: <A
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: small"
href="http://rusecounion.ru/eng/defenders-envday2020">http://rusecounion.ru/eng/defenders-envday2020</A></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"><BR></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"><B>Additional
Information:</B></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"><A
style="COLOR: rgb(74,126,54); text-decoration-line: none"
href="http://http//rusecounion.ru/ru/content/ehrd">On the situation in
January-May 2019</A> (in Russian)</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; FONT-SIZE: 13px"><A
style="COLOR: rgb(74,126,54); text-decoration-line: none"
href="https://naturvernforbundet.no/civilsocietyreports">Annual reports on
situation for environmentalists in Russia </A><A
style="text-decoration-line: none"
href="https://naturvernforbundet.no/civilsocietyreports"><FONT color=#000000>(in
English) </FONT></A></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; FONT-SIZE: 13px"><A
style="COLOR: rgb(74,126,54); text-decoration-line: none"
href="http://rusecounion.ru/ru/ecoagents">List of eco-NGOs recognized as foreign
agents from 2014 to 2020 </A><A style="text-decoration-line: none"
href="https://naturvernforbundet.no/civilsocietyreports"><FONT color=#000000>(in
English)</FONT></A></P>
<HR
style="BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: solid; BORDER-BOTTOM-COLOR: gray; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: solid; BORDER-TOP-COLOR: gray; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: solid; HEIGHT: 1px; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); BORDER-RIGHT-COLOR: gray; FONT-SIZE: 13px; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: solid; BORDER-LEFT-COLOR: gray">
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"><EM>For
more information, please contact RSEU Co-Chair Vitaly Servetnik:</EM></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.5em; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px"><EM><A
href="mailto:vitservetnik@gmail.com">vitservetnik@gmail.com</A>, telegram:
vitservetnik, tel. 8 905 294 1063.</EM></P></DIV>-- <BR>
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<DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>RSEU Climate Secretariat<BR><A href="http://www.rusecounion.ru"
target=_blank>www.rusecounion.ru</A><BR>Tel.mob: +7 921 9117986, +7
9217444255<BR><A href="mailto:e-mail%3Arseu.climate@gmail.com"
target=_blank>e-mail: rseu.climate@gmail.com</A></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=rseu.climate@gmail.com href="mailto:rseu.climate@gmail.com">RSEU Climate
Secretariat</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 05, 2020 1:45 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [RSEU NEWS] Environmental defenders under threat</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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