The Chuvashia-based human rights organization Shchit i Mech, or Shield and Sword, has submitted a request to the regional prosecutor to check the lawfulness of the Justice Ministry's refusal to register the organization as a "foreign agent."
Shchit i Mech was the first nongovernmental organization to voluntarily submit an application to register as a foreign agent under the NGOs law last December.
The organization's chairman, Alexei Glukhov, told Kommersant in December that the? move was aimed at? "studying the? new law from? the inside."
But after the Justice Ministry turned down the organization's request, the group submitted a request to the first deputy prosecutor, Alexander Buksman, to look into the lawfulness of the Justice Ministry's decision, Interfax reported Friday.
According to Ramil Akhmetgaliyev, a lawyer for Agora who assisted Shchit i Mech, the group wants a legal assessment of the Justice Ministry's decision as well as an explanation for why the organization was included in the wide-ranging inspections of NGOs conducted by prosecutors in recent weeks.
Since February, over 90 organizations have received unannounced inspections by? prosecutors in? connection with the? new law on? NGOs, which requires any organization receiving foreign funding to? register as a? foreign agent.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.