CANCELLED - HCRI Research Seminar - Putin's Human Rights
Unfortunately, the research seminar has been cancelled. We aim to reschedule later in the year.
HCRI Research Seminar with Sergei Nikitin, former Head of Amnesty International office in Russia.
Sergei's talk on Amnesty International is about Russia's human rights violations record and Amnesty International’s existence in a country where the term 'human rights' is often changed by the media and the authorities to the term, 'so-called human rights', where the authorities deny the universality of human rights and insist it is 'traditional values' that matter whereas 'human rights' are a western invention.
Sergei will cover the difficulties faced by human rights defenders in Russia (police harassment, the threat of the Amnesty International Russia office closure, the foreign agents list, the undesirable organisations list, etc) with examples from his personal experiences. Sergei will talk about how the political climate changed during his years as Director and how Amnesty International, a foreign organisation, was able to continue to operate in an increasingly unfriendly political climate. Sergei's talk will look at different areas of Amnesty International activity (lobbying, peaceful demonstrations, campaigning, HR education in schools, HR education amongst law enforcement officers, HR research, including monitoring of the situation in the North Caucasus, and Georgia), and discuss the possibilities and the limitation of HR work in Russia over the past 15 years and at the present time.
This event is open to members of the public and no booking is required, so please simply turn up. There will be a networking session from 6-7pm, with free snacks and refreshments.
Price: Free
Speaker
Sergei Nikitin
Role: Former Director
Organisation: Amnesty International - Russia
Biography: Sergei studied the physics of semiconductors at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute and worked at scientific research institutes in Leningrad and Gatchina. Trying to live adventurously, Sergei had many occupations, some scientific, and others artistic or humanitarian. He worked as a painter-decorator for a Leningrad Restoring Company in museums and old Russian estates. He learned English through the Beatles’ songs. Sergei has been involved in historical research work on “Quakers and Russia” since 1996. In 1999, he started his job for an international Quaker organisation Friends House Moscow as a director of the office. From 2003 he had worked as the Head of Amnesty International representative office in Russia for 14 years. In June 2017 Sergei retired and moved with his family to High Peak, where he lives with his wife Jenny and their 10 years old son Ivan.
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
C5.1
Ellen Wilkinson Building
Manchester
