12:12, 16 December 2005

US Congress demands that Russia amend new legislation on NGO

US Congress has passed a resolution with a demand that the government of Russia should withdraw the bill on nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) or introduce amendments to it, as Congress considers this draft law incompatible with Russia's membership of the "community of western democracies."

The resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority of votes at a meeting of the House of Representatives late on Thursday, 15 December. It was backed by 405 congressmen versus 15 congressmen who voted against.

Tabled by Republican Henry Hyde and Democrat Tom Lantos, the resolution "urges the Government of the Russian Federation to withdraw the first draft of the proposed legislation that would have the effect of severely restricting the establishment, operations, and activities of domestic, international, and foreign nongovernmental organizations in the Russian Federation."

Speaking during the discussion of the resolution, Mr Lantos claimed that the document was a warning to the Russian government that it embarked upon a dangerous and counterproductive path. Reminding Russia's plans to host the next summit of the G8 leaders, the congressman maintained that Russia did not fully meet the criteria to be a member of this organisation.

"Russia's destiny and the interests of her people lie in her assumption of her rightful place as a full and equal member of the international community of democracies," the document indicates, emphasising that the measures proposed by the government of the Russian Federation are incompatible with membership of this community.

The document also underscores that the bill erects "unprecedented barriers to foreign assistance."

"The stated concerns of the Government of the Russian Federation regarding the use of nongovernmental organizations by foreign interests and intelligence agencies to undermine the Government of the Russian Federation and the security of the Russian Federation as a whole can be fully addressed without imposing disabling restraints on nongovernmental organizations and on civil society," the resolution reads.

On 13 December, the Council of the State Duma made a decision to reschedule the second reading of the bill on non-profit-making and public organisations from 16 December to 21 December, the Human Rights in Russia website reports.

According to the Committee for the Affairs of Public Associations and Religious Organisations which is responsible for the preparation of the bill for consideration at plenary sessions, work on the search of legally accurate formulae to allow for recommendations of the Russian president made in his resolution of 5 December requires additional time.

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More about the legislation: