Bangladesh, March 4 -- A Latvia-based researcher who regularly presents on minority rights and xenophobia at international forums sought and received funding from a Russian state foundation sanctioned by the European Union, according to leaked internal documents and correspondence reviewed by investigative journalists. The records suggest that the researcher, Valery Engel, applied for financial support from Pravfond – a Kremlin-linked legal aid organization – to produce reports and attend high-profile conferences, including a 2023 human rights meeting organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Warsaw.

The case raises questions about sanctions enforcement within the European Union and the v...