Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, on Friday gave its initial approval to a new set of controversial rules on internationally-funded Russian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), triggering concerns that the measure could be used by the Kremlin to suppress dissent and silence critics.
The bill, which was tabled in the 450-member Duma by the ruling United Russia party, requires Russian NGOs receiving foreign funding and engage in political activities to resister as a "foreign agent" and submit to more rigorous checks by the authorities.
If the bill becomes law, the foreign-funded NGOs will have to identify themselves under the "foreign agent" tag in all public statements and materials. The would be required to undergo financial audits and submit reports on their activities twice every year.
The NGOs that fail to summit complete reports on their activities face fines of up to 1 million rubles ($30,240). Violations of the proposed measures would be punishable by prison terms of up to four years. Also, NGOs that fail to re-register as foreign agents within 90 days of the law's implementation would be shut down for a period of six months.
The bill was given the initial approval by the Duma in a 323 to 4 vote in the first of three required readings. One deputy had abstained from voting on the measure, while the opposition A Just Russia faction boycotted the vote.
In order to become law, the measure is still required to clear two more readings in the Duma and secure the approval of the upper house (Federation Council) before being ratified by President Vladimir Putin.
Russian authorities say that the proposed set of laws on NGOs are aimed at preventing foreign nations from influencing the country's internal politics. Incidentally, foreign-funded NGOs and western nations, particularly the United States, were blamed for inciting the widespread protests that followed Putin's re-election in May.
Opposition claimed then that the polls were marred by irregularities. Further, Golos, Russia's only monitoring group funded mainly by the US and the EU, confirmed that it had received nearly 5,300 complaints alleging violations of electoral laws. But the protests were brutally suppressed, with hundreds of demonstrators arrested.
Putin was Russia's President between 2000 and 2008, when he was forced to stand down by the Constitution. He became Prime Minister after ushering in his hand-picked successor Dmitry Medvedev as President. Medvedev is currently Russia's Prime Minister.
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