“With amazement watching”: NGO reaction to the proposal to close them – RBC

Amnesty International activists during a protest in Edinburgh in 2012. Archival photo

Photo: REUTERS 2015

The deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party Vitaly Zolochiv Monday sent a request to the Prosecutor General with a request to give an indication of the inspection organizations Carnegie Foundation, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Foundation “Memorial”. Check MP offers these NGOs “for the submission of their threat to the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, the country’s defense or national security.” The representatives of four of the five organizations have commented on the initiative of RBC representative of the party of Vladimir Zhirinovsky, head of the Moscow Carnegie Center in Moscow, Dmitri Trenin at the time of publication said.

A member of the International Human Rights and Humanitarian Society “Memorial” Alexander Cherkasov

This law is a law has nothing to do, it would be interesting to some researcher of morals of the primitive tribes of New Guinea, where a member of a tribe called the curse. It was clear that the law was made for enforcement, even if the initiators are not going to use it so quickly. This property of any Soviet campaign, there is always a leading article – the crowd in the Duma deputies who are jostling for the right to be the first in the history of this.

Program Director for Russia of the international organization Human Rights Watch Lokshina

I do not see an honorable Mr. MP seriously, and I hope that it will not accept seriously and General Prosecutor’s Office. After this letter, among other things shows a surprising ignorance of the distinguished gentleman deputy who refers to the newly signed law by Mr. President “undesirable organizations.” Start with the fact that the list of lord deputy of the five listed companies, only three are international, and two, “Memorial” and

«Transparency International – P» – Russian. So perhaps, Mr. MP is not very well aware of what he wrote to the Prosecutor General, and shows only their exceptional loyalty – the President signed the law.

To say that we are concerned – no, we are not concerned if need checking, we are open to inspection by any state authorities and has passed inspection in 2012 as and all other Russian and international NGOs. There is nothing illegal in our activity was not found. Mr Deputy, apparently, wanted to have his name sounded, well, what, his name sounds.

The deputy director of the center “Transparency International – P» Andrew Zhvirblis

On the initiative of the deputy Zolochiv heard nothing. Russian center is not an international, therefore not subject to the law.

, Director of the Amnesty International in Russia Sergei Nikitin

There is nothing but bewilderment, this letter is not calls, no feelings. As for the law, which was signed by the president, then it is said about the possibility of the closure of organizations whose activities threaten the defense, security and the basics of constitutional order. Neither one nor the other, nor the third Amnesty International and other organizations mentioned are not engaged. The question remains, why a little-known MPs demanded the closure of the internationally respected organizations. With amazement watch that as a deputy representing the Duma Vladimir and Belgorod region, does it, maybe his constituents are very pleased with his work, and he has no more to do.