Russia: Justice Minister: strengthening the state more important than citizen’s rights or the rule of law

The Russian Ministry of Justice calls prioritising the protection of human rights as “not entirely the right approach”.   25.06.2026   Article published on the Moscow Times website   Speaking at the St Petersburg International Legal Forum, the Russian Justice Minister, Konstantin Chuichenko, stated that his department’s traditional triad of tasks – protecting citizens’ rights, …

Russia: proposed review of CSO legislation

The Russian Ministry of Justice has proposed a review of CSO legislation   24.06.2026   Article published on the ASI website   The Russian Justice Minister has said that current regulations covering the non-profit sector should be subject to systemic review, and that the requirements for different types of CSOs should vary.   The Russian …

Tajikistan updates legislation on rights of people with disabilities  

Tajikistan has updated its legislation on the rights of people with disabilities   23.06.2026   Article published on the asiaplus website   Tajik senators have passed a new law “On Ensuring the Rights and Social Protection of People with Disabilities”. The legislation, tabled by the Government, was discussed and adopted at a session of the …

Duma proposes criminal liability for first offence of domestic violence

The Russian State Duma proposes the introduction of criminal liability for first recorded cases of domestic violence   19.06.2026   Article published on the ASI website   This measure would enable the courts to hold perpetrators accountable for first recorded acts of violence against family members.   Ksenia Goryacheva, First Deputy Chair of the State …

Armenia: incentives to hire elderly and disabled people

Armenia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has proposed providing incentives to employers who hire people with disabilities and citizens who are over 63 years old   18.06.2026   Article published on the arka.am website   The Armenian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has drawn up a new programme to help improve the employment …

Armenia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has proposed providing incentives to employers who hire people with disabilities and citizens who are over 63 years old

Armenia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has proposed providing incentives to employers who hire people with disabilities and citizens who are over 63 years old   18.06.2026   The Armenian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has drawn up a new programme to help improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities and citizens …

How Belarus manipulates gender statistics to look good internationally

Belarus continues to fight for gender equality on paper, but the results are just as… comical. Perhaps the secret is that officialdom does not fully understand what gender equality actually means. 14.06.2026 Because how else can one explain that they write almost in the same breath about gender equality, strengthening the institution of marriage, and …

Russia: CSOs and official agencies must work together to combat domestic violence pending a new law

Elena Topoleva-Soldunova: The law on combating domestic violence must not cause divisions in society   10.06.2026   Article published on the ASI website   Until appropriate legislation is introduced, the fight against domestic violence will require the joint efforts of CSOs, law enforcement agencies, MPs and Government authorities.   A bill to combat domestic violence …

Russian State Duma tightens controls over ‘foreign agents’  

The Russian State Duma tightens controls over foreign agents   09.06.2026   Article published on the ASI website   Attempts to challenge foreign agents’ status via the administrative route will now take longer, while a total ban on social advertising is to be introduced from September this year.   On 9 June, MPs passed a …

Україна: Уряд удосконалив механізми використання грантів Глобального фонду для боротьби з ВІЛ та туберкульозом

Стаття опублікована: Міністерство охорони здоров’я України (moz.gov.ua)   29 травня 2026 Кабінет Міністрів України ухвалив зміни до Порядку використання грантів, передбачених для здійснення заходів у сфері профілактики та протидії ВІЛ-інфекції/СНІДу, туберкульозу та малярії в Україні та підтримав відповідний проєкт постанови. Рішення спрямоване на вдосконалення механізмів реалізації програм, які фінансуються за підтримки Глобального фонду для боротьби зі СНІДом, туберкульозом …