Tools and Techniques of Repressive Law in Contemporary Russia

Research on law in authoritarian countries has revealed that authoritarian leaders are masters at creatively and pragmatically using law and courts to achieve their political goals.  Putin’s Russia is a stark example. Since 2012, when massive street protests broke out after falsified legislative elections, the Russian state has relied on the law as a tool of repressive governance, using it to consolidate its power, dissuade opposition, and punish its enemies.  This talk outlines the techniques and technologies of repressive law that have been developed in Russia over the past 15 years, from law-making to legal implementation. It demonstrates how law has been an indispensable tool of the Putin regime’s consolidation and maintenance of authoritarian power.