Brussels, 29/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 28 April, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton expressed her concern regarding recent judgments in Russia imposing fines on the civil society organisation Golos and its director Lilia Shibanova and obliging it to register as a “foreign agent”, Catherine Ashton's spokesperson has announced. “The work of Golos for free and fair elections contributes to the implementation of international commitments which Russia has agreed to, notably within the Council of Europe and the OSCE”, the spokesperson stressed, adding that these decisions “confirm widespread worries both inside and outside Russia regarding the implementation of the 'foreign agent' law”.
He pointed out that the EU has repeatedly expressed its concerns about growing pressure on civil society, the recent wave of restrictive legislation on NGOs and the widespread checks on their activities (see EUROPE 10816). “The EU will continue to monitor developments closely”, the spokesperson warned.
On 25 April, Golos was fined around €7,400 (300,000 rubles) for failing to register on the list of “foreign agents”, as called for by the new law. This is the first NGO to have been fined under this law. The Ministry of Justice stated that the organisation, which won the Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in October 2012, had received foreign funding. Golos, which has since returned the money, intends to appeal against the judgment. (CG/transl.fl)