MOSCOW. July 5 (Interfax) - The Russian State Duma has entered the bill on non-profit organizations with foreign agent status, submitted by lawmakers of the United Russia faction, on its Friday agenda, in accordance with the decision made by the Duma Council.

The Duma's Committee for Public and Religious Organizations earlier urged the lower house to debate the bill on Friday and to adopt it in its first reading.

The bill, which formally makes all politically active non-commercial organizations "foreign agents," was drafted by the author of the latest edition of the bill on rallies, Deputy Alexander Sidyakin of the United Russia faction.

The amendments proposed have to do only with non-commercial organizations that receive funding from foreign organizations, or from citizens engaged in political activities. Such non-commercial organizations will have to be registered by the Justice Ministry in a special register, and they will be given the status of organizations "fulfilling foreign-agent functions."

Meanwhile, the Kremlin Human Rights Council urged the State Duma not to hear the bill and officially launch its public debates "in order to rule out the application of unconstitutional regulations and practices."

The Russian Public Chamber said that the procedure for adopting the bill on non-commercial organizations is at variance with the Constitution, while the term "foreign agent" runs counter to the current legislation.

Keywords: Russia, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's - Russian News - Russia

MOSCOW. July 5 (Interfax) - The Russian State Duma has entered the bill on non-profit organizations with foreign agent status, submitted by lawmakers of the United Russia faction, on its Friday agenda, in accordance with the decision made by the Duma Council.

The Duma's Committee for Public and Religious Organizations earlier urged the lower house to debate the bill on Friday and to adopt it in its first reading.

The bill, which formally makes all politically active non-commercial organizations "foreign agents," was drafted by the author of the latest edition of the bill on rallies, Deputy Alexander Sidyakin of the United Russia faction.

The amendments proposed have to do only with non-commercial organizations that receive funding from foreign organizations, or from citizens engaged in political activities. Such non-commercial organizations will have to be registered by the Justice Ministry in a special register, and they will be given the status of organizations "fulfilling foreign-agent functions."

Meanwhile, the Kremlin Human Rights Council urged the State Duma not to hear the bill and officially launch its public debates "in order to rule out the application of unconstitutional regulations and practices."

The Russian Public Chamber said that the procedure for adopting the bill on non-commercial organizations is at variance with the Constitution, while the term "foreign agent" runs counter to the current legislation.