AFP, Moscow :
Already branded “foreign agents” while endeavoring to help abuse victims or protect the environment, Russian activists fear a new law against “undesirable” NGOs will further stymie their work.
President Vladimir Putin over the weekend signed off on legislation that allows authorities to ban international NGOs seen as threatening “state security”.
While the law-which was condemned by the West and rights groups-is aimed at foreign organisations, Russia’s beleaguered civil society fears the draconian legislation will also leave it hamstrung.
“It will primarily hit Russian organisations and activists,” Natalya Taubina of the Public Verdict group, which defends victims of abuse by police and security forces, told AFP.
Under the legislation, which allows Russia’s prosecutor general powers to ban international organisations on vague security grounds, local activists who work with the “undesirables” face fines and up to six years in jail.
“We have partnerships with a number of international NGOs in the rights sphere,” Taubina said.
If those partners were banned, “it’s unlikely we will be able to fully carry out any of the programmes,” she said.
Activists say the law continues a Kremlin crackdown on free speech that began after Putin’s reelection as president in 2012 amid major protests.
Shortly after he began his third term, the authorities rushed through legislation branding Russian NGOs that receive foreign funding, and are seen as active in the politics, as “foreign agents”.
Already branded “foreign agents” while endeavoring to help abuse victims or protect the environment, Russian activists fear a new law against “undesirable” NGOs will further stymie their work.
President Vladimir Putin over the weekend signed off on legislation that allows authorities to ban international NGOs seen as threatening “state security”.
While the law-which was condemned by the West and rights groups-is aimed at foreign organisations, Russia’s beleaguered civil society fears the draconian legislation will also leave it hamstrung.
“It will primarily hit Russian organisations and activists,” Natalya Taubina of the Public Verdict group, which defends victims of abuse by police and security forces, told AFP.
Under the legislation, which allows Russia’s prosecutor general powers to ban international organisations on vague security grounds, local activists who work with the “undesirables” face fines and up to six years in jail.
“We have partnerships with a number of international NGOs in the rights sphere,” Taubina said.
If those partners were banned, “it’s unlikely we will be able to fully carry out any of the programmes,” she said.
Activists say the law continues a Kremlin crackdown on free speech that began after Putin’s reelection as president in 2012 amid major protests.
Shortly after he began his third term, the authorities rushed through legislation branding Russian NGOs that receive foreign funding, and are seen as active in the politics, as “foreign agents”.
