MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax) - The presidential Human Rights' Council has said that amendments to legislation on nongovernmental organizations receiving foreign grants will deliver a blow to charitable, humanitarian and human rights' projects.
file photo

"We recognize the right of the state to organize due public control over the operations of NGOs engaged in political activities in the territory of Russia and receiving funds from foreign sources. However, we object to the concept of the bill and the formulas proposed in it," a statement on the council's website says.

"They (the concept and formulas) do not meet their objective but threaten humanitarian, charitable, human rights and other socially-oriented activities of various NGOs in the interests of Russia and its citizens," the statement says.

"The conditions for these activities have emerged in Russia over the past few years - legislation on NGOs was modified, support programs were adopted and social partnership was established. To pass this bill means to wipe away all these efforts and worsen the position of the people for whom the NGOs work," the statement says.

On Friday the State Duma plans to handle the bill tightening requirements to NGOs receiving foreign grants. The bill was initiated by Untied Russia and implies the registration of NGOs with foreign financing as "foreign agents."

The council's website says that the statement on the impermissibility of amendments to legislation on NGOs was compiled by representatives of Russian NGOs. Several members and experts of the council are among the initiators of the statement.

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

MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax) - The presidential Human Rights' Council has said that amendments to legislation on nongovernmental organizations receiving foreign grants will deliver a blow to charitable, humanitarian and human rights' projects.

file photo

"We recognize the right of the state to organize due public control over the operations of NGOs engaged in political activities in the territory of Russia and receiving funds from foreign sources. However, we object to the concept of the bill and the formulas proposed in it," a statement on the council's website says.

"They (the concept and formulas) do not meet their objective but threaten humanitarian, charitable, human rights and other socially-oriented activities of various NGOs in the interests of Russia and its citizens," the statement says.

"The conditions for these activities have emerged in Russia over the past few years - legislation on NGOs was modified, support programs were adopted and social partnership was established. To pass this bill means to wipe away all these efforts and worsen the position of the people for whom the NGOs work," the statement says.

On Friday the State Duma plans to handle the bill tightening requirements to NGOs receiving foreign grants. The bill was initiated by Untied Russia and implies the registration of NGOs with foreign financing as "foreign agents."

The council's website says that the statement on the impermissibility of amendments to legislation on NGOs was compiled by representatives of Russian NGOs. Several members and experts of the council are among the initiators of the statement.