Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Official Accused of 'Game of Thrones' Threat to Activist

A Russian diplomat to the UN Human Rights Council has been accused of threatening a human rights activist with a screenshot from popular television show “Game of Thrones,” the New York Times reported Tuesday.

The diplomat allegedly sent Florin Irminger, head of advocacy at the Oslo-based Human Rights House Network (HRHN), an anonymous Twitter message in March. The message contained a picture of a bloodied and skinned body from the American television show, along with the words, “our blades are sharp,” the New York Times reported.

Irminger said that he didn't consider the message a physical threat, but that it was a reminder of how Russia treats human rights activists.

Council president Choi Kyong-lim condemned the message during a council session on Monday, calling the message “completely unacceptable.” The diplomat in question has been issued an administrative reprimand.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that their investigation into the incident concluded that the message was “‘basically a joke,’ albeit an unfortunate one,” the New York Times reported.

HRHN has offices in Russia and several other Eastern European countries. On Monday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein urged Russia to change their law current law forcing human rights organizations receiving money from abroad to register as “foreign agents.”

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more