DISINFO: Washington constantly meddles in Russian politics with NGOs and critics
SUMMARY
The Russian Prosecutor’s Office has recorded the summary of the results of investigations into remittances from American non-profit organisations (NPOs) established in Russia. These examples are numerous […] These American organizations aim to impact the country’s policy.
Since 2012, a law has made it possible to label associations and NGOs receiving funding from outside Russia as “foreign agents”. The Memorial Association, a Russian NGO for the defence of human rights and the preservation of the memory of victims of Soviet-era repressions was thus recognised as a “foreign agent”.
Russia has never interfered in US internal affairs, and will not allow the US to meddle in Russia’s own affairs either.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US meddling in Russian politics through NGOs and human rights organisations.
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.
Regarding the memorial organization, in 2020 the director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said: "Pressure on Memorial organizations in Russia has increased in recent years, presenting even more challenges for such organizations 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 organizations, allowing them to continue their important work."