Russia Bans HRW, While US Funds HR Abuses
The mainstream media is aghast: Russia, according to Al Jazeera, has banned Human Rights Watch as part of a 'widening crackdown on critics'. Putin's regime is cast as the villain, suppressing dissent and free expression. An undeniable problem, to be sure. But where's the self-reflection on display here, exactly? While decrying Russia's suppression of human rights organizations, those same news
outlets often receive funding from entities that actively lobby for policies enabling human rights abuses elsewhere. For instance, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent over $3.5 million on lobbying in 2023 alone (OpenSecrets.org), pushing for unconditional aid to a government repeatedly accused of violating international law (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch). It's
almost as if some nations get a pass on 'critic crackdowns' when their abuses align with Western geopolitical interests. One might wonder: where's the global outcry when Human Rights Watch's reports on Israeli policies are dismissed, or when their calls for accountability are ignored by U.S. administrations approving billions in military aid?