09/12/2016 (Agence Europe) – The EU states that it regrets a fine handed down by a Moscow court to the Russian human rights defence NGO Memorial, a spokesperson from the European External Action Service (EEAS) told EUROPE on Friday 9 December. "The EU has repeatedly stated that the law on 'foreign agents' and the fines, inspections and stigmatisation resulting from its implementation serves to further tighten the restrictions on the exercise of fundamental freedoms" in Russia and "to inhibit independent civil society in the country", he said. He went on to say that this fine of €4,380 is "sadly yet another example of this". "We continue to call on the Russian government to suspend the practice of branding Russian NGOs as foreign agents and all resulting administrative harassment", he added, stressing that the EU would continue to support NGOs and Russian civil society. (CG)