Brussels, 10/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton is very concerned by the changes made to the Russian law on NGOs, her spokesperson announced on Tuesday 10 July. According to these changes, which were adopted at first reading by the Duma on 6 July against the opinion of the Russian President's Council on Human Rights and the Development of Civil Society, the Russian NGOs that receive funding from abroad and are considered as engaged in vaguely political activities will from now on be forced to present themselves as “foreign agents” in all their activities. Restrictions and additional administrative burdens have been placed on them, and also possible prison sentences. “This bill cannot be compared to any legislation or practice existing in the EU or the US”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman reminded his listeners that the adoption of this law is just one element among several which “limit the space for a vibrant civil society in Russia”. He gave as examples the arrests of opposition figures, the new law laying down excessive fines for administrative infringements at authorised demonstrations, and the initiative to limit certain internet content - an initiative which risks dealing a blow to freedom of expression, and which the EU is following closely. (CG/transl.fl)