On December 12, the State Duma held a regular meeting of Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affair. Its main topic was the review of facts of activities of foreign non-profit organizations recognized as undesirable in Russia.
There are nineteen such organizations on the registry of the Ministry of Justice. As it was reported at a meeting of the Commission the most active are the US National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Open Russia and People in Need (Czech Republic).
According
to the Chairman of the Commission, Vasilii Piskarev
Vasily Ivanovich
, ”the Commission
revealed numerous facts of interference in Russia’s internal affairs through
foreign non-governmental organizations, whose activity in Russia was recognized
as undesirable.“
According to the parliamentarian, such organizations, first of all, influence election campaigns, including by violating the procedure of election campaigning. They also organize mass riots and unauthorized actions involving minors; and finally, they are engaged in “creating tolerance for narcotic drugs in Russian society by promoting their use and legalization.”
At the same time, Vasilii Piskarev emphasized that “the most common form is the abroad training of the needed future “specialists” that fit the profile of the intervention. The training is carried out with the methodological, technical and financial support of these NGOs.”
During the meeting, the members of the State Duma discussed the introduction of liability for the organization of training aimed at the preparation of “intervention specialists”, since Russian legislation has not established liability for participating in such destructive foreign training for both instructors and trainees.
“At the same time, the activities of graduates of such “schools” pose, as we see, a threat to public safety,” said Vasilii Piskarev.
In this regard, members of the Commission proposed to consider the possibility of establishing administrative liability for Russian citizens for participation in events held abroad by foreign and international non-governmental organizations, whose activity was recognized undesirable in Russia. The Commission will work on this issue shortly.
Besides, according to the Chairman of the Commission, parliamentarians intend to discuss with the Commissioner for Children's Rights Anna Kuznetsova the facts of involving children in protests at one of the next meetings. And the available materials on attempts to involve young people in drug use will be sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs by the Commission.
