Today Amnesty International has released a new report entitled “Freedom Limited. The right to freedom of expression in the Russian Federation,” which investigates how the Kremlin interprets and utilizes vague legislation to restrict rights to free expression, clamp down on journalists, and criminalize independent sources of influence and information such as NGOs. According to Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International, “The rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association are a cornerstone for a functioning civil society. The Russian authorities are curtailing these rights as part of their strategy to counter so-called western influence. Without the right to freedom of expression, other basic human rights may be violated more easily. Silence is the best breeding ground for impunity – a powerful tool to undermine the rule of law.” Duckworth of course is assuming that there is any rule of law left to undermine in Russia. The press release can be read here, a PDF of the report can be downloaded here, a wire report here, and an excerpt from the report regarding the harassment of a legal and human rights advocacy group run by Karinna Moskalenko, which has been targeted as a direct result of her involvement on the Khodorkovsky defense team.