Grigory Tumanov - openDemocracy

Why so secretive?

The Russian authorities are keeping far too many secrets from citizens. Komanda-29 and its founder Ivan Pavlov are fighting back. Русский

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 17 Mar 2016

Smooth censorship in Russia

Everybody understands everything, everybody knows everything, and no one says anything aloud.

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 27 Oct 2015

Russian woman accused of treason for phoning Ukrainian embassy

A mother of seven is facing charges of treason in the Russian town of Vyazma. Her alleged crime? Phoning the Ukrainian embassy to warn about Russian troop movements.

By Daniel Kennedy and Grigory Tumanov

/ 30 Jan 2015

The kidnap trail to Central Asia

Central Asian security services have been abducting their countries’ citizens from Russia to stand trial on trumped-up charges. And the Russian police have been helping them.

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 24 Dec 2014

Moscow’s young Muslims might be tomorrow’s militants

A recent clash with the police is a sign of the alienation felt by some young men from Moscow’s Muslim community. на русском языке

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 24 Oct 2014

The Russian Orthodox Church has been expanding its educational activities to include not only seminaries but universities offering a wide range of courses. But if you’re a woman, don’t even think about wearing jeans to class.

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 25 Mar 2014

Is Russia’s ‘foreign agent’ law illegal?

On 6 March the Russian Federation’s Constitutional Court began hearings on whether a law affecting thousands of NGOs is in fact unconstitutional. But many civil rights campaigners believe that whatever the outcome, it will be too late. на русском языке

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 10 Mar 2014

Now I'm a union man

In both Soviet and more recent times, Russia’s trade unions have tended to be an arm of the regime, but Grigory Tumanov argues that a growing independent movement is becoming a significant force in the country.

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 13 Jan 2014

HIV positive? Russia’s reaction is negative.

In most parts of the world the incidence of HIV/AIDS is falling, but official figures for Russia show 200 new cases being recorded every day. And as Grigory Tumanov reports, if you’re a migrant worker or immigrant, you face not only discrimination and stigma, but deportation as well.

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 25 Sep 2013

Defending the indefensible

Favourite lawyer of the Russian far right, Dmitry Bakharyev is developing a network of 'sports' clubs for like-minded nationalists — teaching knife, rather than ball, skills. He hopes the clubs will form the basis of a movement, perhaps even a political party. Grigory Tumanov considers the prospec

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 11 Jul 2013

Russia, land of slaves

Last month, a number of slave migrant workers were discovered in the cellar of a Moscow store. It was, alas, just one example of a much a wider practice exploiting vulnerable groups across the country. In a special oDRussia investigation, Grigory Tumanov reports on the worrying prevalence of moder

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 23 Nov 2012

The dark doings of Russia’s Centre E

Russia’s shadowy ‘Centre E’ was officially set up to combat extremism and terrorism, but is now mostly known for incompetence and harassing opposition activists. In any other country, the agency would have been wound up long ago, says Grigory Tumanov.

By Grigory Tumanov

/ 28 Aug 2012