AMSTERDAM: The head of Memorial, Russia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning rights group, has said she fears a fresh crackdown after September’s legislative elections, with more people arrested and sent to fight in Ukraine.

Speaking in an exclusive interview in Amsterdam, Elena Zhemkova also vowed to keep up the fight for human rights in Russia, despite her group being declared illegal and herself forced into exile.

“Unfortunately, I think that now everything is getting worse, but not so fast,” the 65-year-old said. “But after the elections, there will be a very sharp deterioration.” Last month, Russia’s Supreme Court banned the only anti-war party, Yabloko, from running in the elections, where opposition to President Vladimir Putin will be minimal.

“More people will be arrested for insignificant things and sent to prison. They are interested in sending people to prison.''

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2026