General Prosecutor’s Office has identified the first “unwanted organization” in Russia – RBC

NED President Carl Gershman (left) presents Mr. agradu for the protection of human rights and democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Archival photos

Photo: REUTERS 2015

The US National Endowment for Democracy was the first ” Junk organization, “said Tuesday’s press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office. His work, therefore, is now prohibited in Russia.

The decision signed by Deputy Prosecutor General Vladimir Malinovsky. “The decision is based on an analysis of the Fund. Using the capabilities controlled by Russian commercial and non-profit organizations, the National Endowment for Democracy participated in the recognition of the results of illegitimate election campaigns, the organization of political campaigns in order to influence decisions taken by the government, discrediting the service in the Armed Forces of Russia “, – stated in the press service. According to the Prosecutor General, to this end, in 2013-2014 NED provided “Russian commercial and non-commercial entities financial assistance in the amount of approximately $ 5.2 million.” According to the data of the fund in 2014 were granted a total of 95 Russian applications worth $ 8.4 million.

«Taking into account the general orientation of the fund, the prosecutor’s office concluded that it represents a threat to the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, the defense and security of the state “, – reads the press release.

NED – a non-governmental organization established in 1983 at the initiative of US President Ronald Reagan, who declared that to defeat world communism Western countries should assist developing in the construction of democracy. The organization is funded by the US Congress. The fund, according to the register as “foreign agents” Justice, the most active areas in the grantor that the Russian government acknowledges the political – human rights protection, sociology, political science research. Collaborated with the Foundation 24 of 77 NGOs who have fallen into the registry.

Until 2012, the NED report on grants, indicating NGO recipient. In 2011, among other things, $ 20 thousand. Received “Voice of Beslan”, a museum of political repression “Perm-36″ ($ 50 thousand.), The Levada Center ($ 71 thousand.), The Ingush human rights organization “MASHR” ($ 61 thous.), “Mothers of Dagestan for Human Rights” ($ 35 thousand.). But since the annual report 2012 have only description of the projects – after the adoption of the law on inoagentah Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, has been recognized as dangerous to receive funds from abroad community members.

Among the foreign agents NED grants , according to the Ministry of Justice, received, among other things, the Sakharov Centre, information and education and the human rights center “Memorial”, the Fund “Public Verdict”, Human Rights Association “Agora”, a committee of assistance to refugees and displaced persons “Civil Assistance”, the materials on the site Ministry of Justice, leading the roster.

The State Duma adopted a law on “undesirable organizations” in mid-May. According to the law in coordination with the Russian Foreign Ministry authorities will prohibit the activities of “undesirable organizations” in Russia. The decision will be taken by the Prosecutor General or his deputy. In the event that the list of “undesirable organizations” of their accounts will be frozen and subsidiaries offices are closed. If foreign NGOs to work in Russia in spite of the ban, their employees threatened with punishment of up to eight years in prison. For cooperation with undesirable organizations and citizens will be fined, and the banks.

The Federation Council has sent to the Prosecutor General recommendations on the list of undesirable to Russian organizations from 12 foreign and international NGOs in the beginning of the month. The list of the Federation Council, apart from NED, includes Soros Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Freedom House, the International Republican Institute, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Foundation “Education for Democracy”, the East European Democratic Centre, Ukrainian World Coordinating Council World Congress of Ukrainians, Crimean field mission on Human Rights. MacArthur Foundation last week because of the threat to become an unwanted organization decided to close its Moscow branch.