Managing Civil Society: Are NGOs Next?

Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper

November 22, 2005

Summary

Recommendations

Background: Dismantling the System of Checks and Balances

Establishing Control over the Media

Reigning in Regional Leaders

Reigning in the State Duma

Compromising the Independence of the Judiciary

Nongovernmental Organization: the Next Crackdown?

Crackdown on NGOs Working on the Chechnya Conflict

Administrative and Judicial Harassment of NGOs

Threats and Attacks against Human Rights Activists

Harassment of Victims of Abuse

Harassment and Attacks on Other NGOs

In our country, there are thousands of public associations and unions that work constructively. But not all organizations are oriented towards standing up for people’s real interests. For some of them, the priority is to receive financing from influential foreign foundations. Others serve dubious group and commercial interests. And the most serious problems of the country and its citizens remain unnoticed. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation¹

If [the speech] wasn’t a direct threat from the President, then at least it’s a signal to bureaucrats that they should divide organizations into good and bad, help the ones they consider good and build barriers for the ones they consider to be bad.

Arseny Roginsky, Chairman of the Public Council of Memorial²