As early as 2022, HRW and a number of other organizations were forced to close their offices in Russia, a few months after Moscow launched its full-scale offensive war against Ukraine.
No justification is given for Friday's decision to also put HRW on the list of "undesirable" organizations - a label that effectively bans all activities in Russia.
HRW, which investigates and exposes human rights violations around the world, has repeatedly condemned Russia's war and accused the country of a series of crimes.
Other organizations labeled as "undesirable" in Russia include the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Greenpeace, and Transparency International.
