Duma considers banning Russians’ working with ‘undesirable’ CSOs abroad
A Bill on the involvement of Russian citizens in the work of “undesirable” organisations passes its Second Reading
08.06.2021
The State Duma wants to prohibit citizens and legal entities from participating in the work of “undesirable” CSOs abroad.
On 8 June, the State Duma approved amendments during the Bill’s Second Reading to the law on “Measures to influence individuals involved in violating fundamental human rights and freedoms and those of Russian Federation citizens”.
The Bill proposes the introduction of a ban on the participation of Russian citizens in the work of international and foreign CSOs considered “undesirable” in Russia.
According to the Parliament’s press office, the Duma Commission for Investigating Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs has found “a large number of Russians” who are being trained abroad “to influence election campaigns, to organise mass disturbances and unauthorised political actions, including the participation of minors, and to conduct anti-Russian information campaigns”.
The Bill also has an additional provision for classifying a foreign organisation as “undesirable”, i.e. if it provides intermediary services for transactions that involve funds from CSOs that have already been deemed to be “undesirable”.
An amendment was discussed during Second Reading to the law on “Combating the laundering of the proceeds of crime and financing of terrorism”. “We need to have greater transparency of CSO activities because, although we are able to see how much money has been spent (i.e. in CSO reports), the amount they receive is unknown”, said Vasily Piskarev, Chair of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption.
