U.S. criticizes Russia for barring Human Rights Watch official

From CNN Producer Charley Keyes

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Human Rights Watch has won some unexpected publicity about its report on how Russia is clamping down on free speech.

Russia clamped down on the executive director of the New York-based organization, Kenneth Roth, refusing him a visa to travel to Moscow and release the 72-page report.

On the Human Rights Watch Web site, Roth said that Russia uses new regulations to block dissent and interfere with the work of nongovernmental organizations, so-called NGOs.