By Connie Hong
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MOSCOW, Russia– Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that labels all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that engage in political activity as “foreign agents.” Opposition groups believe that the new law is yet another method for Putin to silence political dissent.
The bill was quickly pushed through the lower and upper houses of parliament before their summer breaks; the State Duma lower house approved the bill on July 13, and the upper house Federation Council approved of it on July 18. Putin signed the bill into law just four days later on July 21.
This new law requires NGOs that receive funding from abroad to register with the authorities as foreign agents. They are further required to publish a biannual report on their activities and carry out an annual financial audit in order to regularly inform the public on their sources of income and their management. They are also required to comply with official checks of their income, accounting, and management structures. Failure to abide by the new legislation could result in four-year jail sentences and/or fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,200).
The new law applies broadly to NGOs engaging in political activity, but exempts religious groups and organizations associated with the state or state companies.
Activists are concerned that the law will be used to stigmatize critical NGOs, specifically the ones that report on human rights abuses committed under Putin’s rule. The new law has also been criticized as another attempt to curb free speech and limit information available to the public.
The legislation has gained international attention as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay recently expressed concern about “a worrying shift in the legislative environment governing the enjoyment of the freedoms of assembly, association, speech, and information.” U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has also expressed mirroring concerns regarding how the law will impact free speech.
Moscow has responded by rebuking the U.S. State Department for its “gross interference.”
While the label of “foreign agent” under the new law does not directly charge the NGO with espionage, it does carry with it negative implications of unpatriotic behavior. Such implications has led the leader of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Lyudmila Alexeyeva, to turn down foreign grants in order to avoid having to register the group as a “foreign agent.” The Moscow Helsinki Group is one of Russia’s oldest human rights organizations.
Alexeyeva, who turned 85 pm Friday, asked supporters not to give her any gifts but to offer financial assistance to her organization to make up for the funding cut.
For further information, please see:
Chicago Tribune — Russia’s Putin signs NGO “foreign agents” law — 22 July 2012
The News — Putin signs law branding NGOs ‘foreign agents’ — 22 July 2012
France 24 — Putin signs law branding NGOs ‘foreign agents’ — 21 July 2012
Jurist — Putin signs law labeling NGOs as ‘foreign agents’ — 21 July 2012
Ria Novosti — Putin Signs Foreign Agent NGO Law — 21 July 2012
