About us

Who we are

OVD-Info is an independent project fighting for human rights and against repressions in Russia. Established in 2011 in Moscow, now it’s one of the biggest Russian independent projects. Nowadays OVD-Info is one of the most trustworthy sources of information on human rights in Russia which is widely and regularly used by the international media to cover relevant issues.

Since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that prompted a wave of mass repressions domestically, the most valuable part of our work is supporting the anti-war movement both by covering protests in the media and providing legal consultations to those who are prosecuted on political grounds. Information which OVD-Info is collecting and spreading on an hourly basis is the most trustworthy source for what is going on within Russian civil society for audiences both domestic and abroad. This information helps stakeholders to shape the global response to the Kremlin’s war on Russian civil society.

How we work

OVD-Info combines research, journalism with human rights advocacy. We work as a news agency providing trustworthy information both to our readers and other news outlets, and at the same time we provide legal consultations to victims of political repression. Such an approach helps us receive unique and reliable information which we spread both as a news agency for readers and as an advocacy center for our global expert audience. Reliable data is at the core of all our human rights advocacy, and human rights violations are in the focus of our media work.

• We do not support any particular interest groups and support people regardless of their, and our, politics.
• We do not engage in censorship, but when we publish we are first and foremost guided by our commitment to human rights: we do not publish information if we think it might cause harm.

What we do

News and media

The authorities that violate human rights prefer to avoid publicity. But as they say, silence in the face of evil is itself evil. We believe that information protects, and that media and social attention can prevent violations and change the whole picture.

Hotline

Sending a message to our Telegram-bot is the easiest way to report persecution and receive advice from professionals who understand these situations: what to do, what to expect, and what should never be done. The bot operates every day from 08:00 to midnight Moscow time. Your messages will be answered by real people-operators and lawyers.

Legal guides

We create and maintain up-to-date legal guides for almost every situation people may face in Russia. Can you refuse to open the door to the police? How can you cross the border safely? How can you check whether a criminal case has been opened against you? Our lawyers answer these and many other questions.

Support for political prisoners

We help you support people in need. Through Vestochka, you can find detailed information on how to send letters to political prisoners and choose someone to write to. Through Drozd, you can find information about political trials in your city and attend hearings to show your support for political prisoners.

Research and analytics

We study emerging problems from various angles: this helps both with working out present-day tactical solutions and laying the strategic foundation for the future systemic change. The results of our analyses get published as reports, data sets, or special projects.

IT development

Contacts

For media enquiries, please contact us at media@ovdinfo.org.

For communication with international lawyers and our advocacy team, please email int@ovdinfo.org.

For general enquiries and requests for assistance, please contact info@ovdinfo.org.

In extremely urgent cases you can call text us in our Telegram-bot.