Evgeny Vitishko
Evgeny Vitishko is an environmental rights defender with Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (EWNC), a Russian-based non-profit organisation that works to protect the environment of the Caucasus region since 1997. He is actively involved in monitoring the environmental impact of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games preparations.
Among the HRDs who are particularly at risk are those involved on issues such as election monitoring, the situation in the North Caucasus (particularly Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan), xenophobia and nationalism, and LGBTI rights. Environmental rights defenders have been particularly exposed to physical and verbal attacks in recent years. Those expressing criticism of the authorities or attempting to organise protests are also routinely targeted.
