Russia - Level 4: Do Not Travel.

Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Russia, but is not used due to a moratorium and no death sentences or executions have been carried out since 2 August 1996.

The government commonly silenced freedom of speech and it also used harsh measures against all dissenters. No independent political organizations, including labor unions, private businesses, churches, and opposing political parties, were tolerated.

The Russian constitution provides for freedom of speech and press; however, government application of law, bureaucratic regulation, and politically motivated criminal investigations have forced the press to exercise self-censorship constraining its coverage of certain controversial issues, resulting in infringements of ...