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  Dmitry Smirnov: Russian cleric who called live-in girlfriends ‘free prostitutes’ & likened abortion to the Holocaust dies age 69

  A Russian Cleric who was staunchly anti-women's rights has died at the age of 69. His views perhaps signal a shift in the views of the country as a whole.
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  ‘We don’t need your children here’ Resident of assisted living facility in Yekaterinburg blows whistle on forced sterilizations

  Lyudmila Guseva, a resident of the Uktussky Assisted Living Facility, recently spoke out on the surgical sterilization she was forced to consent to. More than ten women at the assisted living facility were found to have been sterilized, with one of them dying due to the procedure. Former director of the facility, Andrey Popov, vehemently denied that this procedure could have taken place without consent. Investigations into Guseva's claim are ongoing, but Guseva seems to have disappeared. According to employees at the facility, she went on vacation two weeks ago and has not been heard from since. This begs the question as to how well the investigation will be run without a key player, and if the truth will actually be uncovered.
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  Pussy Riot activists arrested in Moscow for hanging rainbow flags on government buildings to mark Putin’s birthday

  Two members of the Russian feminist music group Pussy Riot were arrested this week for participating in a protest in demand of LGBTQ rights. The activists hung rainbow flags around Moscow on government buildings including the Presidential Executive Office and the Supreme Court. A journalist covering the event, Artyom Radygin, was arrested and later released, although his cell phone was never returned to him. These arrests point to the Russian government's censorship of any form of speech that criticizes or opposes them.
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  ‘Blame the Russian Federation’ Journalist Irina Slavina’s self-immolation came after years of constant pressure from the authorities

  This article points to the political parties (in Russia) responsible for the death of the correspondent Irina Slavina.
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  ‘A flagrant rights violation’ State investigators in Russia reportedly plan to arrest single gay fathers on child trafficking charges

  Russia’s Investigative Committee is planning to arrest a number of single, gay men on child trafficking charges and threatening to place their children in foster care for the duration of the investigation. These men became fathers through in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures and surrogate mothers, which is against Russian law because only married couples and single women are allowed to act as donors. This law demonstrates the pervasive homophobia present in Russian society and how it is reflected in policy.
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  Moscow Recommends Coronavirus Self-Isolation for Pregnant Women

  Moscow’s health department has expanded its list of people that are required to stay home and self-isolate as the number of new daily coronavirus cases has risen in Russia. Now, this list includes pregnant women and women who have recently given birth because they are at a higher risk of suffering from severe cases of COVID-19. While this recommendation is founded on good intentions, the Russian government and healthcare system need to take more concrete action in resolving other issues directly affecting women's health and safety.