- Title: Rights group says Russia intensifies crackdown on NGOs
- Date: 18th November 2016
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 18, 2016) (REUTERS) HEAD OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IN RUSSIA, SERGEI NIKITIN, SHOWING MEDIA PRINTED REPORT 'AGENTS OF THE PEOPLE': FOUR YEARS OF "FOREIGN AGENTS" LAW IN RUSSIA" AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IN RUSSIA, SERGEI NIKITIN, SAYING: "Statistics shows that as of today 148 organisations are on this deplorable list of foreign agents compiled by (Russian) Ministry of Justice and 27 of them had to close down." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IN RUSSIA, SERGEI NIKITIN, SAYING: "We, Amnesty International, think that Russian authorities should learn to accept constructive criticism from civil society organisations and to work with these NGOs. Without any doubt this law must be abolished and we believe that one day it will happen." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MEMBER OF PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL ON HUMAN RIGHTS, ILYA SHABLINSKY, SAYING: "Generally speaking, this is an oppression and it weakens civil society. This is oppression and crackdown on any opposition. Well, yes, forty years ago they (the opponents) were put in jail right away. And now they (the authorities) are strangling us with penalties, so there is some progress here." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IN RUSSIA, SERGEI NIKITIN, SAYING: "For sixteen days we were unable to enter it (Amnesty's Moscow office), but the process goes in the right direction. Today I will sign a new rent agreement. Also we were promised today that a door will be unlocked and we'll be able to return to our office." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 12:09
- Keywords: Russia NGO "Foreign Agents" law Amnesty International report
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00158YY4AV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Over one hundred non-governmental organizations in Russia have seen their funding cut, reputations tarnished and staff intimidated under Russia's draconian "Foreign Agents" law adopted four years ago, Amnesty International said on Thursday (November 18).
At a press-conference in Moscow the group's head in Russia, Sergei Nikitin, said the law affected a wide range of NGOs operating in Russia and receiving financial aid from abroad. It also led to deterioration in protection of individual rights and civil discussion in the country.
Many of the groups suffered from the law provided legal or psychological support to victims of discrimination or violence, conducted environmental monitoring. In the last four years, 148 organizations operating in Russia have been put on the "foreign agents" list, of which 27 had to close down.
"We, Amnesty International, think that Russian authorities should learn to accept constructive criticism from civil society organisations and to work with these NGOs. Without any doubt this law must be abolished and we believe that one day it will happen," said Nikitin at a news conference in Moscow.
Much criticised by the West, the law forces foreign-funded NGOs engaging in "political activities" to register themselves using the politically loaded term "foreign agent" that echoes Cold War-era hostilities. The Kremlin, which denies orchestrating a clamp-down on dissent, has said the law is needed to tighten control over foreign-funded organisations operating in Russia to prevent them gathering intelligence for other governments. Groups violating the law may be fined or suspended for up to six months without a trial. Rights activists say the law violates Russia's constitution and the right to associate and assemble freely.
Earlier this month Amnesty International was evicted from the office in Moscow it had occupied for many years. At a news conference Nikitin shared good news about the group's office.
"For sixteen days we were unable to enter it (Amnesty's Moscow office), but the process goes in the right direction. Today I will sign a new rent agreement. Also we were promised today that a door will be unlocked and we'll be able to return to our office," he said.
Amnesty staff had turned up at their office in central Moscow on Nov. 2 to find the locks had been changed and the power cut off. The Moscow city government, from which Amnesty leases the premises, said it was owed rent.
Amnesty said payments were up to date. The group has been a vocal critic of Russia over its bombing campaign in Syria and had said it believed the eviction might be part of an official crackdown on civil society groups.
The Moscow city government agreed to talks with Amnesty soon after the issue was raised by a Russian human rights representative at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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