4 May 2026
by OVD-Info
Source: OVD-Info
We’re writing to you because we need your help again – this time to join us in opposing one of Russia’s longest-standing and most serious problems: domestic violence.
Russia still has no legislation against domestic violence. More than 50% of female murder victims are killed in domestic violence; statistics indicate this figure rose to 67% in 2022-2023.
Human rights lawyers and independent initiatives have spent years trying to achieve systemic solutions and protection for the victims. One of these lawyers is Polina Burlakova. She has been leading an initiative to legislate against domestic violence for more than two years.
More than 100,000 people have voiced their support for this on the website Russian Social Initiatives. The law has already been reviewed by the government and referred to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry say they have also reviewed the proposal, but there is no information publicly available about any further steps they are taking.
Today Polina and the feminist group FemKyzlar are asking for our support, the government is dragging its feet again and it is important to drive the initiative forward.
The initiative currently
On 19th October 2025, a team of government experts sent literature written by initiative to the Ministry of Justice along with their views on it.
On 17th November, the Ministry of Justice announced at a meeting with high-ranking civil servants that the initiative had been reviewed.
This was more than 5 months ago, but nothing further has been publicly announced about further steps they will take.
We don’t know what steps have been taken to prepare the bill’s passage into law or when it is going to be put before the State Duma.
This is important information and we have a right to know.
After a year of gathering views and a positive review of the initiative by the Government’s team of experts, we have yet to see the Government prepare white papers on this issue and present to the State Duma. Both now and in the future, preventing domestic violence is in the interests of absolutely every woman.
The movement’s leader, lawyer Polina Burlakova
What can be done?
Help us move the initiative forward. Sign the petition on Dyatel to the Russian Government to demand they tell us:
What concrete actions are currently being taken;
What the timeline is for putting this bill to the State Duma.
⏱️ It takes only a minute. You just put in your full name and email address.
✅ It is safe to send it to the Government. The Ministry of Justice cannot call on you as a witness or pressure you in any other way for signing it.
Will it help?
Yes, we know mass petitioning works.
For instance, at the end of 2025 the human rights group By my Own Free Will launched a petition on Dyatla against the mandatory usage of the Russian messaging app MAX in schools and universities. In response to the petition and demands by Duma Deputies, the Ministry of Justice had to reaffirm that using MAX is voluntary and mandating that it be downloaded is illegal.
The more people sign the petition, the harder it will be to ignore the issue. Sometimes all it takes to force the civil service to take action is societal pressure.
Some think that such small actions won’t affect anything. But is lots of people take small actions, it has big results. When we stand together and support each other, we can achieve greatly. Let’s see this through to the end and make anti-domestic violence legislation a reality. – Polina Burlakova
Sign the petition and tell your friends about it, it might bring life-saving legislation closer to reality.
In solidarity,
The OVD-Info Team
Translated by Oscar Seecharan
