Human Rights Watch Reports Russia’s Stifling of NGOs Continues Unabated

In the run-up to this week’s presidential elections, Human Rights Watch reported that the Russian government continues to stifle disfavored NGOs.  Rather than resorting to outright bans or forced closures, government officials have used a 2006 law giving them far-reaching authority over NGOs to impose crippling paperwork requirements and fines.  For example, the Information Center of the NGO Council, a group that provides bulletins on the situation in Chechnya and Ingushetia, was threatened with dissolution unless it paid a US$20,000 fine for improper registration and back taxes.  It is currently fighting the imposition of that fine.  The full report details numerous additional examples.

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