Putin signs law banning working with ‘undesirable’ organisations
Vladimir Putin signs a law banning participation in the work of “undesirable” organisations
29.06.2021
The ban applies to stateless people living in Russia, as well as Russian legal entities.
An individual organising the work of an “undesirable” CSO in Russia can be imprisoned for two to six years and to one to five years for carrying out donation and fundraising activities on behalf of these organisations.
The law also stipulates that a foreign or international organisation shall be classed as “undesirable” if it acts as an intermediary in the transfer of money or property to a body that already has such status. The authors of the legislation are members of the State Duma Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs headed by its Chair, Vasily Piskarev.
According to the Commission, “large number of Russians” are being trained abroad on “how to influence election campaigns, organise mass disturbances and unauthorised political actions, including the participation of minors, and conduct anti-Russian information campaigns”.
There are now 34 organisations on the Ministry of Justice’s “undesirable” list.
The legislative text has been published on the government’s legal information website.
