Russia

Dr. Dmitry Dubrovsky

Experts, Anti-Extremism Legislation, and Threats to Civil Liberties in Russia

Dr. Dmitry Dubrovsky most recently served as associate professor of international relations, political science, and human rights at St. Petersburg State University, where he has also been affiliated with the Andrew Gagarin Center for Human Rights. An expert on human rights in Russia, he focuses primarily on issues relating to xenophobia, ultra-right nationalism, hate crimes, and hate speech as they relate to freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. Concerned with the need for academic experts to deepen their engagement with civil society in the defense of civil rights, Dr. Dubrovsky has served as an expert witness in a number of cases involving hate groups. He has taught at Bard College, in New York, and the University of Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, and has held fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute, in Washington, D.C., and Helsinki University’s Collegium for Advanced Studies. During his fellowship at NED, he is exploring ways to strengthen the role of expert communities in Russian civil rights litigation, with a special focus on homophobia and recent legislation, propaganda, and hate crimes relating to the LGBT community.

Written Products:

• “Undesirables,” Free Russia Blog, May 22, 2015

Press Mentions:

• “UN concerned for non-Slav persons in Russia,” Al Jazeera, April 2, 2015
• “Students allege political purge at Russia’s oldest university” Al Jazeera America, May 23, 2015

Presentations and Professional Travel:

• “Hate Crime and Hate Speech Legislation in Russia: Lessons from Europe,” National Endowment for Democracy, April 21, 2015
• “LGBT Rights in Russia: The Tip of the Iceberg,” Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins SAIS, June 10, 2015
• “Art, Protest and the Clash of Rights in Russia,” Kennan Institute Scholar Seminar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, June 12, 2015

Interviews:

• “Free Speech on Campus,” Higher Education Today, University of the District of Columbia, May 7, 2015