Mark Knopfler has cancelled two shows in Russia in protest over what he called the country's crackdown on human rights groups.
The former Dire Straits frontman pulled out of the gigs, after Russian authorities searched the offices of organisations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Knopfler's decision was backed by opponents of President Vladimir Putin's government, which passed a bill in November requiring all NGO's engaging in political activity and receiving overseas funding, to register as 'foreign agents'.
