Two foreign NGOs — the George Soros' Open Society Foundation and the Open Society Institute's Assistance Foundation — were declared “undesirable” by the Prosecutor General's Office on Monday, the Interfax news agency reported, citing Prosecutor General's Office spokeswoman Maria Gridneva.
“[It is] determined that activities of the Open Society Foundation and the OSI Assistance Foundation are endangering Russia's constitutional system and national security,” Gridneva was cited by Interfax as saying Monday.
She stated that the decision to deem the two organizations “undesirable” was based on a request made by the Federation Council — the upper chamber of Russian parliament — to the Prosecutor General's Office, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov, to inspect organizations included in the so-called “patriotic stop-list.”
This is a list of NGOs whose work, according to the Federation Council, poses a threat to national security, and who should thus be declared "undesirable" and prohibited from operating in the country.
The list, issued in July, consisted of seven American organizations, including the Open Society Foundation, two Ukrainian diaspora groups, two Polish NGOs and an obscure rights group based in the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
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.
