DISINFO: Poland-based “undesirable” Russian NGOs organise courses on mass riots and drug use
SUMMARY
The anti-Russian projects are being implemented in Poland. The anti-Russian projects of organisations, which are perceived in Russia as undesirable, are being actively implemented by their “strongholds” in Poland, Czechia, Georgia, Ukraine and the Baltic states.
There are numerous facts of various training courses for the Russian citizens aimed at influencing electoral campaigns and organisation of mass riots, illegal political activities (including the involvement of minors), implementation of anti-Russian information campaigns and formation of tolerance to drug use in the society.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the foreign interference in Russian politics through NGOs and human rights organisations.
The claims that foreign-based NGOs train the Russian citizens on how to organise mass riots, carry out illegal political activities and “promote the drug use” in Russia are ungrounded.
The European Union has repeatedly stated that the Russian law on “foreign agents” and the ensuing fines, inspections and stigmatisation, further tighten the restrictions on the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Russia, consume the scarce resources of NGOs and inhibit independent civil society in the country. The EU has called to abandon the practice of branding Russian NGOs as “foreign agents”, as well as all resulting administrative harassment.
One of NGOs being targeted with the "foreign agent" law is International Memorial that is "studying political repressions in the USSR and in present-day Russia and promoting moral and legal rehabilitation of persons subjected to political repressions". In 2020, the director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said: “Pressure on Memorial organisations in Russia has increased in recent years, presenting even more challenges for such organisations to carry out their work. The International Memorial and the Human Rights Centre Memorial are facing fines and are involved in administrative court proceedings over alleged violation of the ‘foreign agents’ law.”
The ODIHR called on the Russian authorities “to revisit the law and to ensure a safe and enabling space for civil society organisations, allowing them to continue their important work.”
See similar messages about the work of independent NGOs: Washington constantly meddles in Russian politics with NGOs and critics; George Soros destabilised many European countries by funding NGOs and Soros’ NGOs have brought Ukraine to the complete loss of sovereignty.