Russia: Amended Law Threatens NGOs |
G8 Must Tackle Putin on Controversial Bill
Statement by Human Rights Watch
(Moscow, December 28, 2005) – Amendments to a controversial bill on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have not significantly changed the extremely negative impact it would have on Russian human rights organizations and may still result in the closure of affiliate offices of foreign human rights groups, Human Rights Watch warned today.
" This unprecedented assault on the work of human rights groups will invariably undermine the rights of all Russians” " Holly Cartner, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division
Human Rights Watch urged leaders of the Group of 8 nations, of which Russia assumes the chairmanship on January 1, to make the legislation a central issue in upcoming summits and other meetings. President Vladimir Putin is expected to sign the legislation before the end of the year.
Although the parliament has softened somewhat its original draconian bill, the legislation still obliges offices of foreign NGOs to inform the government registration office about their projects for the upcoming year, and about the money allotted for every specific project. Russian government officials would have an unprecedented level of discretion in deciding what projects, or even parts of NGO projects, comply with Russia’s national interests, as required by the bill.
