Russian Legislation and NGOs in Russia

Author(s): Bill Bowring
Editor(s): Stephen Aris, Aglaya Snetkov, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 120
Pages: 7-9
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen; Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University
Publication Year: 2012

In November 2012 a new law on NGOs comes into force, which requires NGOs in Russia with foreign funding and that are engaged in 'political activities' to register as 'foreign agents'. This article traces the development of Russian legislation on NGOs over the last two decades, and assesses the likely impact of this new law. It is argued that at present most NGOs are still trying to clarify the exact meaning of the vague concepts within the new law, but it seems clear that it is aimed at those NGOs deemed to be a political threat to the Putin regime.

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