There will be more undesirable organizations – Kommersant

Members of the State Duma commission to investigate the facts of interference of foreign states in the internal affairs of Russia will soon introduce a bill to the chamber that would make it possible to recognize as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation the activities of foreign and international organizations, the founders or participants of which are government agencies of foreign states. According to the prepared amendments to the law “On measures of influence on persons involved in violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian Federation” (available to Kommersant), the word “non-governmental” will be removed from all paragraphs that refer to the prohibition of activities such organizations and the participation of Russians in it. At the same time, the bill will not apply to intergovernmental organizations of which the Russian Federation is a member, or to organizations included in the structure of government bodies of a foreign state.

As the head of the commission, Vasily Piskarev (United Russia), explained in his Telegram channel, current legislation does not allow the activities of such structures to be recognized as undesirable, since “this legal protection mechanism applies only to foreign NGOs.” At the same time, according to the deputy, the commission has materials on the participation of foreign and international organizations, the founders or participants of which are foreign government agencies, in activities that “pose a threat to the security of our country.” “We are talking about developing sanctions, blocking investment projects, training agents of influence, interfering in elections in Russia, inciting national hatred and much more,” explained Mr. Piskarev.

“It’s high time to do this, we are furiously behind reality in this area – to the point that we cannot recognize terrorist organizations as such if they are government bodies (GUR, SBU, etc.),” a member told Kommersant commission Mikhail Delyagin (“A Just Russia – For Truth”).

In addition, the deputies prepared corresponding amendments to four federal laws, to Art. 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (“Participation in the activities of a foreign or international NGO, in respect of which a decision has been made to recognize its activities as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation”) and Art. 284.1 of the Criminal Code (“Carrying out the activities of a foreign or international NGO in respect of which a decision has been made to recognize its activities as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation”).

Ksenia Veretennikova