Persecution for speech: hundreds of criminal cases against those who criticize - freedom of speech is disappearing

In the summer-autumn of 2024, human rights organizations recorded a sharp increase in criminal cases and administrative prosecutions for “discrediting the army,” “spreading fake news,” and “extremist propaganda.” Journalists, bloggers, ordinary citizens - those who tried to talk about losses, bad conditions, war, corruption - became targets of repression. Many media outlets closed, some journalists were forced to emigrate, others went underground. Social networks tightened moderation, blocked channels, deleted publications in order to minimize criticism. Even discussing the war in a small circle has become dangerous: reposts, shares, likes could turn into a criminal case. This created an effect of fear and silence. Public discourse has become fictitious: real problems, losses, fear have almost ceased to be discussed publicly. People stopped trusting each other, discussions became cautious, and many simply fell silent. 2024 was the year when freedom of speech in Russia was not just limited - it became criminalized. And those who tried to speak were no longer protected.