Sakharov Centre is appealing entry in the register as “foreign agents” – Moskovsky Komsomolets

Sakharov Centre is appealing entry in the register as "foreign agents" – Moskovsky Komsomolets

«It turns out that political activity – is generally all»

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Moscow Sakharov Center as a result of unscheduled documentary checks made in the register of the Ministry of Justice NGO – foreign agents on Thursday, December 25th. According to the Law “On Foreign Agents”, adopted in 2012, the black list made-for-profit organizations with foreign funding and engage in political activity. Do distinction between human rights and political activities, we have asked the executive director of the Sakharov Centre Sergei Lukashevskogo.

Photo: sakharov-center.ru

– On what grounds is established that the Sakharov Center – foreign agent?

– They wrote that we have systematically engaged in political activity, which is expressed in the form of political debates, discussions and online conversations. Statements of participating experts imputed as a criticism of the government. The Ministry of Justice is based on the decision of the Constitutional Court that the assessment of the government’s actions is a political activity.

– You receive foreign funding. What is its structure?

– The information on financing has always been openly posted on the site. This targeted funding and grants from foreign foundations. (Also defenders receive voluntary private donations, mostly from Russian citizens, their sum in 2011-2013. Not exceed 100 000 per year. – «MK» ) We sought to obtain financing within the country. The amounts allocated by the state to NGOs increased, but they project. We still contains a library and a museum.

– What threat to the Centre’s activities creates the roster of foreign agents?

– The overall objective of the registry – creating kakogo- then the ghetto. Will continue to be governed, with whom to communicate the residents of the ghetto, they can and can not …

– You said it would challenge the decision to make the list. How do you do it?

– I think that used excessively open interpretation of political activity: it turns out that political activity – is everything. After the release of the law, we immediately said they were not going to engage in the election, then we double checked the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor’s Office. For foreign agents absented, and we, on this basis, have not changed anything in our activities. I personally believe that it is necessary to appeal the decision of Justice in court, but the final decision will be a general meeting center on Monday.