ahfatzia
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2012
- Messages
- 2,521
- Reaction score
- 0
Russia's lower house of parliament gave preliminary approval on Friday to a law that would brand many rights and campaign groups "foreign agents", a move opponents say is an attempt to stifle protests against Vladimir Putin.
The law, presented by the president's United Russia party for the first of three readings, would tighten controls on non-governmental organizations that receive foreign funding by forcing them to submit reports on their activity twice a year.
Critics say the law, approved by 323-4 in the 450-seat chamber, is part of a crackdown on civil liberties and the opposition movement that has been protesting against Putin's return to the presidency for a new six-year term.
The draft law could put at risk the work of organizations such as Amnesty International, which campaigns for human rights, and Transparency International, a corruption watchdog.
The law on NGOs requires three readings in the Duma and one in the upper house. Under it, any NGO that receives foreign funding and refuses to register as a "foreign agent" and comply with the new law could face suspension for up to six months without a court order.
GOLOS, an organization that receives foreign funding and compiled allegations of fraud in the parliamentary election, said it believed it was the target of the draft law on NGOs.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has also called NGOs "jackals" who count on foreign support.
Russia rights groups fear crackdown as law changes | Reuters
The law, presented by the president's United Russia party for the first of three readings, would tighten controls on non-governmental organizations that receive foreign funding by forcing them to submit reports on their activity twice a year.
Critics say the law, approved by 323-4 in the 450-seat chamber, is part of a crackdown on civil liberties and the opposition movement that has been protesting against Putin's return to the presidency for a new six-year term.
The draft law could put at risk the work of organizations such as Amnesty International, which campaigns for human rights, and Transparency International, a corruption watchdog.
The law on NGOs requires three readings in the Duma and one in the upper house. Under it, any NGO that receives foreign funding and refuses to register as a "foreign agent" and comply with the new law could face suspension for up to six months without a court order.
GOLOS, an organization that receives foreign funding and compiled allegations of fraud in the parliamentary election, said it believed it was the target of the draft law on NGOs.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has also called NGOs "jackals" who count on foreign support.
Russia rights groups fear crackdown as law changes | Reuters
