CIVICUS is Deeply Dismayed by Bill that stigmatises civil society in Russia

CIVICUS is deeply dismayed by the actions of the upper house of the Russian Parliment, the Federation Council, to pass a bill that stigmatises civil society groups which receive foreign funding.

The bill approved on 18 July obligates civil society advocacy groups which received foreign funding to register with the Justice Ministry as "foreign agents". The bill has received presidental approval.

CIVICUS believes that this regressive bill violates Russia's constituional and international law commitments to guarantee freedom of association.