On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin signed a law broadening the scope of legislation concerning “undesirable” organizations to now include state-sponsored entities, alongside non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Since the introduction of the “undesirable” list in 2015, aimed initially at foreign-funded NGOs, Russian authorities have gradually expanded the law to encompass independent news outlets, human rights groups, environmental organizations, and educational institutions.
According to the law, members of “undesirable” organizations can face up to four years in prison, while their leaders may be sentenced to up to six years. These organizations are required to cease all operations within Russia, and it is illegal for individuals and media outlets to republish or share their content.
Earlier this summer, Russian lawmakers initiated work on this expanded legislation to address what they termed a “legal gap” that had previously prevented authorities from designating state-affiliated organizations as “undesirable.”
State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin stated in June that “organizations created by government agencies from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European countries are conducting activities against Russia.”
Experts suggest that the expanded legislation could also be used to target state-backed media outlets, such as the BBC, Deutsche Welle, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
The Moscow Times is one of nearly 200 organizations currently listed as “undesirable” by Russia’s Justice Ministry.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
