INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Petersburg court on Tuesday recognized the Russian human rights NGO Vesna as an extremist organization, the group announced in a statement,
Telegram channel, describing the court's ruling as absurd.Vesna is a youth movement with a long track record of campaigning for human
rights in Russia, and its work has involved the organization of peaceful protests and actions as well as election monitoring
NGO is the latest organization deemed "extremist" in Russia and joins Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, Jehovah's witnesses
Russia, while the organizations themselves are banned from operating in the country in any context whatsoever
hearing was closed to both journalists and members of the public, though Perviy Otdel, another Russian human rights group, said in a
statement that the judge had ignored the arguments made by Vesna's defense.Vesna's fate appeared to be sealed earlier this year when the
organization's Moscow office was raided by the police ahead of Russia's annual May 9 World War II victory celebrations.The following
day, the state internet watchdog Roskomnadzor blocked Vesna's website in Russia
