Russia: Government against Rights Groups

Since June 5, 2014, the Ministry of Justice has designated 115 groups as "foreign agents". By February 1, 2016, at least 14 groups have shut down. Also, the Ministry has removed its "foreign agent" tag from 7 groups, acknowledging that they had stopped accepting foreign funding. Accordingly, on February 1, 2016, the official list of active "foreign agents" comprised 94 groups.

(Moscow) - In 2012 Russia's parliament adopted a law that required nongovernmental organizations (NGO)s to register as "foreign agents" with the Ministry of Justice if they engage in "political activity" and receive foreign funding. The definition of "political activity" under the law is so broad and vague that it can extend to all aspects of advocacy and human rights work.

Initially, the law required all respective NGOs to request the Ministry to have them registered and implied legal consequences for failure to do so. Because in Russia "foreign agent" can be interpreted only as "spy" or "traitor," there is little doubt that the law aims to demonize and marginalize independent advocacy groups. Russia's vibrant human rights groups resolutely boycotted the law, calling it "unjust" and "slanderous."

In early March 2013 the Russian government launched a nationwide campaign of intrusive inspections of hundreds of NGOs to identify advocacy groups the government deems "foreign agents" and force them to register as such.

Since the law entered into force, numerous rights groups challenged the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Justice in courts; most lost their cases. As a result, by February 2015 at least 13 groups chose to shut down rather than wear the shameful "foreign agent" label, including Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters' Rights "Golos", JURIX (Lawyers for Constitutional Rights and Freedoms), the Moscow School of Civic Education (Moscow), Kostroma Center for Civic Initiatives Support, Anti-Discrimination Center (ADC) Memorial, Side by Side LGBT Film Festival, Coming Out, "Freedom of Information" Foundation, the League of Women Voters and Human Rights Resource Center (Saint-Petersburg), Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies and Association "Partnership for Development" (Saratov), Interregional Non-Governmental Organization "The Committee Against Torture" (Nizhniy Novgorod).

In August 2013, Russia's then-federal ombudsman Vladimir Lukin, acting on behalf of four organizations and their leaders who were affected by the law, challenged the law in Russia's Constitutional Court. On April 8, 2014 Russia's Constitutional Court upheld the law, ruling that there were no legal or constitutional grounds for contending that the term "foreign agent" had negative connotations from the Soviet era and that, therefore, its use was "not intended to persecute or discredit" NGOs. The Constitutional Court also found that the "foreign agent" designation was in line with the public interest and the interest of state sovereignty.

On May 23, 2014 parliament amended the "foreign agents" law, this time authorizing the Ministry of Justice to register independent groups as "foreign agents" without their consent, if the ministry regards the organizations as engaged in "political activity" and if the organization is receiving foreign funding. On June 4, 2014 the amendments were signed into law.

On June 5, 2014 the Ministry of Justice promptly registered five groups as "foreign agents," and since then has registered a total of 115, including prominent civil society groups that vigorously protested this action.

I. By February 1, 2016 the registry of "foreign agents" maintained by the Ministry of Justice included the following groups:

Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters' Rights "Golos" (Moscow) - June 5, 2014

Regional Public Association in Defense of Democratic Rights and Freedoms "Golos" (Moscow) - June 5, 2014

Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies (Saratov) - June 5, 2014 (the organization was shut down - May 22, 2015)

Women of Don (Rostov region) - June 5, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - June 19, 2015)

Kostroma Center for Support of Public Initiatives (Kostroma) - June 5, 2014

Interregional Human Rights Association "Agora" (Kazan) - July 21, 2014

Regional public organization "Ecozaschita! - Womens' Council" (Kaliningrad) - July 21, 2014

Public Verdict Foundation (Moscow) - July 21, 2014

Human Rights Center "Memorial" (Moscow) - July 21, 2014

Lawyers for Constitutional Rights and Freedoms / JURIX (Moscow) - July 21, 2014 (the organization was shut down - May 26, 2015)

Soldiers' Mothers (Saint Petersburg) - August 28, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - October 23, 2015)

Freedom of Information Foundation / Institute for Information Freedom Development - August 28, 2014

PIR Center - September 3, 2014

Association "Partnership for Development" (Saratov) - October 2, 2014 (the organization was shut down - November 6, 2015)

"News Agency MEMO.RU" (Moscow) - November 20, 2014

Regional Press Institute (St. Petersburg) - November 20, 2014

Moscow School of Civic Education - December 9, 2014

Rakurs, Arkhangelsk regional non-governmental LGBT organization - December 15, 2014

All-Russian movement "For Human Rights" - December 22, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - December 30, 2015)

Human Rights Center (Kaliningrad) - December 25, 2014

Krasnodar Regional Social Organization of University Alumni - December 25, 2014

Regional social organization "Public Commission for Academic Sakharov's Heritage Preservation" - December 25, 2014

Resource Human Rights Center (St. Petersburg) - December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down - November 3, 2015)

Regional Public Organization "Man and the Law" (Republic of Mari El) - December 30, 2014

Center for Social Development "Vozrozhdeniye" (Pskov) - December 30, 2014

Public Human Rights Organization "Civil Control" (St. Petersburg) - December 30, 2014

The League of Women Voters (St. Petersburg) - December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down - May 22, 2015)

Free Press Support Foundation - December 30, 2014

Interregional Non-Governmental Organization "The Committee Against Torture" - January 16, 2015

Educational Center "Memorial" (Sverdlov region) - January 16, 2015

Autonomous non-profit human rights organization "Youth Center for Consulting and Training" - January 20, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - July 22, 2015)

"Information Bureau of the Nordic Council of Ministers in St. Petersburg" - January 20, 2015

Jewish regional branch of the Russian public organization "Municipal Academy"- January 26, 2015 (the organization was shut down - May 22, 2015)

The noncommercial partnership "Press Development Institute - Siberia" - January 30, 2015

Center for social, psychological and legal help to victims of discrimination and homophobia "Maximum" (Murmansk) - February 4, 2015 (the organization was shut down - October 28, 2015)

Interregional public fund for civil society development "Golos-Povolzhye" (Samara) - February 6, 2015

Interregional charity organization "Siberian Environmental Center" (Novosibirsk) - February 12, 2015

Center for Civic Analysis and Independent Research / GRANI (Perm) - February 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - June 19, 2015)

Municipal public organization "Samara Center for Gender Studies" (Samara) - February 16, 2015

Regional Fund "Center for Defense of Mass Media Rights" (Voronezh) - February 26, 2015

Regional Charitable Social Foundation "For nature" (Chelyabinsk) - March 6, 2015

Regional Ecological Social Movement "For nature" (Chelyabinsk) - March 6, 2015

Humanist Youth Movement (Murmansk) - March 13, 2015 (the organization was shut down - August 25, 2015)

Regional Social Organization for Contribution to Harmonization of Interethnic Relations "Azerbaijan" - March 13, 2015

Regional Social Environmental Organization "Bellona-Murmansk" - March 19, 2015 (the organization was shut down - October 16, 2015)

"Educational Center for Environment and Security" (Samara) - March 20, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - October 8, 2015)

Foundation "Migration XXI Century" - March 27, 2015

Eco-logika (Rostov) - April 3, 2015

Transparency International Russia - April 7, 2015

Social Environmental Organization "Planeta Nadezhd" - April 15, 2015

Foundation for Consumers' Rights Defense (Novosibirsk) - April 17, 2015

Civil Assistance Committee - April 20, 2015

Foundation 19/29 - Foundation for Support of Investigative Journalism - April 24, 2015

Commemorative Centre of History of Political Repressions "Perm - 36" - April 29, 2015

Women's League (Kaliningrad ) - April 29, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 16, 2015)

Legal Expert Partnership "Soyuz " - May 7, 2015 (the organization was shut down - 25 August 2015)

Center for Development of Non-Commerical Organizations - May 13, 2015

Club of Accountants and Auditors of Non-Commercial Organizations - May 13, 2015

Informational Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Northern Countries (Kaliningrad) - May 13, 2015

Sutyajnik (Yekaterinburg) - May 15, 2015

Human Rights Academy (Yekaterinburg) - May 15, 2015

Ecological Center "Dront" (Nizhny Novgorod) - May 22, 2015

The non-profit organization "Liberal Mission" Scientific Foundation of Theoretical and Applied Research - May 25, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - September 11, 2015)

The non-profit Dynasty Foundation - May 25, 2015

Union of Employers (Tula region) - May 28, 2015

Youth organization "Nuori Karjala/Young Karelia" - June 19, 2015

Siberian Center for Support of Social Initiatives - June 19, 2015

Interregional Social Foundation for Peace in the South and in the Northern Caucasus - June 19, 2015

Informational Center "Free Inform" - June 22, 2015

Center for Independent Sociological Studies (St. Petersburg) - June 22, 2015

Regional Organization for Population and Development - June 23, 2015

Geblerov Ecological Societ (Barnaul) - June 23, 2015

Association "Legal Basis" (Yekaterinburg) - July 3, 2015

Interregional Non-governmental Organization "Northern Environmental Coalition" (Petrozavodsk) - July 8, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 1, 2015)

Komi Human Rights Commission "Memorial" (Syktyvkar) - July 21, 2015

Altai Regional Public Fund for 21st Century Altai (Barnaul) - July 22, 2015

Interregional Public Foundation for Civil Society Development "GOLOS-Ural" (Chelyabinsk region) - July 22, 2015

SREDA Foundation - July 28, 2015

Non-governmental environmental organization "Green World" (Nizhny Novgorod) - July 29, 2015

Civic Action Foundation (Perm) - August 5, 2015

Alliance of Funds of Local Communities of the Perm territory - August 11, 2015

Kabardino-Balkaria Human Rights Center - regional branch of the "For Human Rights" All-Russian movement (Nalchik) - August 18, 2015 (the organization was shut down - November 6, 2015)

The Human Rights Center of the Chechen Republic (Grozny) - August 21, 2015

Interregional Social Ecological Foundation "ISAR-Siberia" (Novosibirsk) - August 26, 2015

Perm Regional Human Rights Center (Perm) - September 3, 2015

Siberia's lifeline (Novosibirsk) - September 3, 2015

Golos Foundation in Support of Democracy - September 4, 2015

Jewish Cultural Center "Hesed-Teshuva" (Ryazan) - September 4, 2015

Sakhalin Environment Watch (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) - September 18, 2015

Yasavey Manzara Information and Research Center (Naryan-Mar) - September 23, 2015

Consumer Rights and Environment Protection Association "Princip" (Moscow region) - October 5, 2015

Far East Center for the Development of Civil Initiatives and Social Partnership (Vladivostok)- October 13, 2015

Russian Research Center for Human Rights - October 20, 2015

Women of the Don (Rostov region) - October 27, 2015

Friends of the Siberian Forests (Krasnoyarsk) - October 28, 2015

Photography Club "Sobytiye" (Omsk) - October 28, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 16, 2015)

Research and Information Center "Memorial" (St. Petersburg) - November 6, 2015

Baikal Environmental Wave (Irkutsk) - November 10, 2015

Glasnost Defense Foundation - November 19, 2015

Human Rights Institute - November 20, 2015

Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North - November 27, 2015

Green World (Leningrad region) - December 2, 2015

Mashr (Republic of Ingushetia) - December 8, 2015

Woman's World (Kaliningrad) - December 11, 2015

Panorama Information and Research Center (Moscow) - December 18, 2015

Dauria Ecological Center (Chita) - December 30, 2015

Yekaterinburg Memorial Society (Yekaterinburg) - December 30, 2015

Bureau of Public Investigations (Nizhny Novgorod) - January 14, 2016

Committee for the Prevention of Torture (Orenburg) - January 14, 2016

Institute of Forecasting and Resolving of Political Conflicts (Nizhny Novgorod) - January 22, 2016

Ryazan Historical, Educational and Human Rights Center "Memorial" (Ryazan) - February 1, 2016

And the four NGOs which registered voluntarily:

Non-commercial Partnership "Supporting Competition in the CIS Countries" - June 27, 2013

"The Union of Young Political Scientists", Karachay-Cherkess Republican Youth Social Organization - December 15, 2014

Regional Social Movement "Novgorod Women's Parliament" (Veliky Novgorod) - March 6, 2015

Center of Independent Researchers of the Altai Republic - June 10, 2015

II. Administrative Court Cases - at least 58 NGOs

Groups that a court has found responsible for failing to register as a "foreign agent" may be fined up to 500,000 rubles (over US$16,000), and their leaders personally - up to 300,000 rubles (approximately $10,000). They are:

Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters' Rights "Golos" (Moscow) - NGO lost the suit

Kostroma Center for Support of Public Initiatives (Kostroma) - NGO lost the suit

Anti-Discrimination Center "Memorial" (St. Petersburg) - NGO won two administrative cases, but later lost a similar civil suit to the prosecutor's office and chose to shut down

Coming Out (St. Petersburg) - NGO won the administrative case but later lost a similar civil suit to the prosecutor's office

Side by Side LGBT Film Festival (St. Petersburg) - NGO won the suit

Regional Public Association in Defense of Democratic Rights and Freedoms "Golos" (Moscow) - NGO lost the suit

Center for Civic Analysis and Independent Research / GRANI (Perm) - NGO won the suit

Perm Civic Chamber (Perm) - NGO won the suit

Perm Regional Human Rights Center (Perm) - NGO won the suit

Women of Don (Rostov region) - NGO lost the suit

Ecozachita! - Zhensovet (Kaliningrad) - NGO lost the suit

Association "Partnership for Development" (Saratov) - NGO lost the suit

News Agency "MEMO.RU" (Moscow) - NGO lost the suit

Regional Press Institute (St. Petersburg) - NGO lost the suit

Moscow School of Civic Education - NGO lost the suit

All-Russian movement "For Human Rights" - NGO lost the suit

Regional Public Organization "Man and the Law" (Republic of Mari El) - NGO lost the suit

Human Rights Center (Kaliningrad) - NGO won the suit

Krasnodar Regional Social Organization of University Alumni - the proceedings was discontinued

Regional social organization "Public Commission for Academic Sakharov's Heritage Preservation" - NGO lost the suit

Autonomous non-profit human rights organization "Youth Center for Consulting and Training" (Volgograd) - NGO lost the suit

Rakurs, Arkhangelsk regional non-governmental LGBT organization - NGO lost the suit

Center for social, psychological and legal help to victims of discrimination and homophobia "Maximum" (Murmansk) - NGO lost the suit

Educational Center "Memorial" (Sverdlov region) - NGO lost the suit, court of appeal decreased the amount of fine

Interregional public fund for civil society development "Golos-Povolzhye" (Samara) - NGO lost the suit

Citizens' Watch (St. Petersburg) - NGO lost the suit

The noncommercial partnership "Press Development Institute - Siberia" - NGO won the suit

Regional Fund "Center for Defense of Mass Media Rights" - NGO lost the suit

Regional Social Organization for Contribution to Harmonization of Interethnic Relations "Azerbaijan" - NGO lost the suit

Regional Charitable Social Foundation "For nature" (Chelyabinsk) - NGO lost the suit

Regional Ecological Social Movement "For nature" (Chelyabinsk) - NGO won the suit

Eco-logika (Rostov) - NGO lost the suit

Regional Social Environmental Organization "Bellona-Murmansk" - NGO lost the suit

Foundation "Migration XXI Century" - NGO lost the suit

Interregional charity organization "Siberian Environmental Center" (Novosibirsk) - NGO lost the suit, court of appeal decreased the amount of fine

The non-profit organization "Liberal Mission" Scientific Foundation of Theoretical and Applied Research - NGO lost the suit

Center for Development of Non-Commerical Organizations - NGO lost the suit

The non-profit Dynasty Foundation - NGO lost the suit

Foundation 19/29 - Foundation for Support of Investigative Journalism - NGO lost the suit

Association "Legal Basis" (Yekaterinburg) - NGO lost the suit

Ecological Center "Dront" (Nizhny Novgorod) - NGO lost the suit

Regional Organization for Population and Development - NGO lost the suit

Center for Independent Sociological Studies (St. Petersburg) - NGO lost the suit

Human Rights Center "Memorial" - NGO lost the suit

Transparency International Russia - NGO lost the suit

Interregional Non-Governmental Organization "Committee Against Torture" - NGO lost the suit

Geblerov Ecological Societ (Barnaul) - NGO won the suit

Civic Action Foundation (Perm) - NGO lost the suit

Interregional Social Ecological Foundation "ISAR-Siberia" (Novosibirsk) - NGO lost the suit

Sakhalin Environment Watch (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) - NGO lost the suit and is appealing the ruling

Club of Accountants and Auditors of Non-Commercial Organizations - NGO lost the suit

Women's League (Kaliningrad) - NGO won the suit

Russian Research Center for Human Rights - NGO lost the suit

Interregional Public Foundation for Civil Society Development "GOLOS-Ural" (Chelyabinsk region) - NGO lost the suit

Human Rights Institute - NGO lost the suit

Interregional Human Rights Association "Agora" - NGO lost the suit

Glasnost Defense Foundation - suit pending

Baikal Environmental Wave (Irkutsk) - suit pending

III. The leaders of at least 8 NGOs faced administrative charges personally:

Anti-Discrimination Center "Memorial" (St. Petersburg) - NGO won the suit but the organization chose two shut down when it lost a "foreign agent" civil suit to the prosecutor's office

Side by Side LGBT Film Festival (St. Petersburg) - NGO won the suit

Coming Out (St. Petersburg) - NGO won the suit

Association "Partnership for Development" - NGO lost the suit

Kostroma Center for Support of Public Initiatives (Kostroma) - NGO lost the suit

Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters' Rights "Golos" (Moscow) - NGO won the suit

Autonomous non-profit human rights organization "Youth Center for Consulting and Training" (Volgograd) - NGO lost the suit

Baikal Environmental Wave (Irkutsk) - suit pending