21.06 Russian Monitoring NGO Must Register as
MOSCOW, June 21 (RIA Novosti) Russian independent election monitoring NGO Golos must register as a foreign agent under a new law, despite a previous pledge to stop accepting funding from abroad, the Justice Ministry insisted on Friday.
A new law that came into force in November 2012 obliges all non-governmental organizations in Russia to register as foreign agents if they are involved in any kind of political activities and receive funding from foreign sources.
Golos, which has been active in publicizing violations in federal and regional elections in recent years, was fined 300,000 rubles (around $9,200) in April for failing to register as a foreign agent, the first NGO to be penalized under the new law.
Golos has dismissed the charge of accepting foreign cash as unfounded, insisting the organization has not received any funding from abroad since November 2012.
The NGOs deputy director Grigory Melkonyants said previously that Golos Association is currently not receiving any foreign funding and asked the ministry whether it should not therefore be designated as a foreign agent.
The ministry, however, maintains the NGO carried on receiving money from abroad after that date.
