Putin has criminalised the Henry Jackson Society, a British think tank. Here’s why that should matter to us all

The designation makes it a criminal offence to be affiliated with or organise activities for the Henry Jackson Society in Russia. Punishment for doing so is a jail term of four to six years.

The Henry Jackson Society now joins a list of hundreds of organisations considered hostile to the Kremlin’s tyrannical system.

This is not a badge of shame. It is a badge of honour.

Russia proclaims this to be about “national security”, but let’s be honest, this is about silencing criticism. Russia passed its so-called “undesirable organisations” law in 2015, not long after mounting international condemnation for its annexation of Crimea. Russia did what all tyrannies do: it cracked down at home to maintain even tighter control.

And what terrible crime have we committed?

We have supported democratic reform. We have exposed corruption. We have highlighted the threat posed by Moscow’s aggression. In short, we have said things the Kremlin would rather people did not hear.

Interestingly, at the exact time the designation was announced yesterday, the Henry Jackson Society was taking part in an international conference where the defence of democratic values and support for dissidents in tyrannical regimes was being discussed. That contrast says everything.

We talk about democracy, freedom and human rights. They threaten prison.

The Henry Jackson Society is in good company on Vladimir Putin’s naughty list. Other groups singled out include anti-corruption charity Transparency International, Radio Free Europe, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

It speaks volumes about the Kremlin’s mentality when organisations dedicated to human rights, freedom of speech or alleviating the suffering of people with serious illnesses are considered threats to be banned.

So why should this matter to people in Britain?

This is not just about a think tank being put on a blacklist. It is about the kind of world we are living in. Russia is fighting a brutal war in Ukraine. It has carried out assassinations on British soil. It spreads disinformation here and across Europe. When it criminalises organisations like ours, it is sending a message: scrutiny will be punished.

When governments start banning charities, jailing critics and criminalising contact with the outside world, it is usually a sign of paranoia, insecurity and isolation, not strength. Strong countries do not fear debate. Confident leaders do not need to outlaw thinking.

One thing the long-suffering people of Russia should know is that one day they will live in freedom. All tyrannies exhaust themselves over time. There was once a time when countries like Poland and the Czech Republic chafed under authoritarian rule. They are now full democracies and popular tourist destinations. In time, Russia will join them.

One of the organisations named alongside the Henry Jackson Society is Radio Free Europe. In the dark days of the Cold War, it reassured people locked behind the Iron Curtain that:

“There is no dungeon deep enough to hide truth, no wall high enough to keep out the message of freedom.”

The Kremlin may label us “undesirable”. But the desire for freedom does not disappear because a government passes a law. That is something no regime can imprison.

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