Accessibility links

Breaking News

Watchdog

Ukraine has protested to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) over the organization’s plans to send monitors to the Russian State Duma elections in the region of Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry on August 18 published a statement saying the CIS “has been formally notified about the Ukrainian stance regarding the Russian intention to spread [the elections] into the temporarily occupied territory” of Crimea and the Crimean city of Sevastopol.

It noted that the elections “will not have any legal consequence” and added that any monitoring of the “farce election will be seen as an unfriendly move.”

The CIS is an organization of some former Soviet republics. Nine of them -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan -- are full members, while Turkmenistan and Ukraine are associate states.

Georgia withdrew from the CIS after the war against Russia in 2008.

Based on reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti

The Russian Prosecutor-General's Office has deemed two U.S.-based NGOs as being "undesirable" in Russia and of threatening the country's national security.

The prosecutor's office said in a statement on August 18 that it will recognize the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) as "undesirable" and as posing "a threat to the foundations of the Russian constitutional system and the state's security."

It added that its decisions had been sent to the Justice Ministry and that the IRI and MDIF will be placed on a list of "undesirable" organizations.

The IRI, which is chaired by U.S. Senator John McCain (Republican-Arizona), said in response that "this move really says more about [Russian President] Vladimir Putin than it does about IRI" and is "further proof that he fears democracy and allowing his people to have an opportunity to shape their own future."

The IRI was founded in 1983 and says it is committed to "advancing freedom and democracy worldwide," operating in dozens of countries.

IRI closed its Russia office in 2012 and runs its Russia program through various programs in Europe.

The MDIF has provided financial and technical help to independent news and information businesses in 39 countries around the world since 1996.

In March, Russia's Justice Ministry added another U.S. organization -- the National Democratic Institute -- to the list of "undesirable" organizations.

Also in March, the NTV television channel broadcast a report alleging that Russian independent media that had worked with the MDIF were "indebted" to the U.S. State Department.

The fund has no relationship with the U.S. government.

The three organizations recently listed by Russia as undesirable have been supporting the development of democratic institutions in Russia and other former Soviet republics for many years.

Critics say the Russian law on foreign NGOs, adopted in May 2015, stifles civil society.

With reporting by Interfax

Load more

About This Blog

"Watchdog" is a blog with a singular mission -- to monitor the latest developments concerning human rights, civil society, and press freedom. We'll pay particular attention to reports concerning countries in RFE/RL's broadcast region.

Subscribe

Latest Posts

Journalists In Trouble

RFE/RL journalists take risks, face threats, and make sacrifices every day in an effort to gather the news. Our "Journalists In Trouble" page recognizes their courage and conviction, and documents the high price that many have paid simply for doing their jobs. More

XS
SM
MD
LG