National Endowment for Democracy becomes first ‘undesirable organization’ in Russia

Russia's Attorney General has declared the activities of the National Endowment for Democracy to be undesirable inside Russia. Prosecutors have ordered the Justice Ministry to place NED on the government's new list of "undesirable organizations." This is the first time Russian officials have added an organization to this list.

President Vladimir Putin enacted the law against “undesirable organizations” on May 23, 2015. According to the law, foreign and international organizations can be declared “undesirable” or “a threat to Russia’s basic constitutional order.” The Attorney General has the power to declare an organization undesirable without judicial oversight. 

If an organization falls under this category, it will be forced to shut down in Russia and will be forbidden from holding public events and from possessing or distributing promotional materials, including through the media. Employees of “undesirables” face criminal liability, if they fail to comply with orders, and the heads of such organizations can face prison sentences of up to 6 years, if they operate inside Russia.