Top stories
"Foreign agent" label for NGOs in Russia

Politically active non-profit organizations in Russia that receive financial support from abroad will be classified as “foreign agents” and will be entered into a designated registry. They will be required to submit special reports and will be subject to discretionary audits. According to various estimates, the law will affect about 1,000 organizations, including The Gorbachev Foundation, founded by former Soviet president. The controversial bill alarm human rights activists.

The Colorado killing spree trial

On July 20, a heavily armed 24-year-old man opened fire on an unsuspecting crowd during a midnight screening of Batman: the Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado. Twelve were killed and 58 injured in the horrific incident. Suspect James Holmes was arrested on the scene, and criminal proceedings were promptly launched against him. He has been formally charged with 24 counts of first degree murder, 116 counts of attempted first degree murder, one count of explosives possession, and one count of violence in connection with the mass shooting. Pretrial proceedings for the case are currently underway.

Hermitage Capital non-investment case

Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer for the British investment company Hermitage Capital, was charged with large-scale corporate tax evasion. Shortly before his arrest, Magnitsky claimed to have uncovered a massive fraud in which Moscow tax and police officials had allegedly embezzled $230 million of budget funds. He died in a Moscow pretrial detention center in 2009 after spending nearly a year behind bars. His death sparked a public outcry and drew human rights activists attention. Magnitsky's former partner Ivan Cherkasov is suspected of being involved in over $67 million income tax evasion. Hermitage head William Browder is also a suspect in the case and has been placed on the international wanted list like Cherkasov.

The "illegal casinos" case, officials involved

Uncovered several months ago, the high-profile Moscow Region illegal casino scandal incited a major public uproar. Businessman Ivan Nazarov allegedly operated illegal casinos in 15 towns across Moscow Region. According to law enforcement authorities, several high-ranking officials of prosecutor’s offices and the federal Interior Ministry were involved in the casino operation, which generated between $5 million and $10 million in revenue monthly.

The controversial Bhagavad Gita extremism trial

In June 2011, the Prosecutor's Office initiated a case to declare "Bhagavad Gita As It Is" extremist, following the inspection of the Tomsk Society for Krishna Consciousness.

According to Tomsk University experts cited by the local prosecutor's office, the dogmata described in the book incites religious hatred, humiliates the dignity of people on the basis of sex, race, nationality, language, origin and attitude toward religion.

The book was written by founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It was translated into more than 60 languages.