“The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation has recognized as undesirable the activities of the foreign non-governmental organization Clooney Foundation for Justice (USA) on the territory of our country,” Russian prosecutors reported on Monday, as quoted by interfax.ru.
Vladimir Putin has a new enemy. Russia marks Clooney's organization
The justification indicated that the foundation “supports false patriots who fled the country, members of banned extremist associations and terrorist organizations.” Russians probably did not like the support for, among others, Russian oppositionist Alexei Navalny and his lawyer Ivan Pavlov.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice is an organization founded by Hollywood actor George Clooney and his wife Amala, who works as a lawyer to “hold perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable for their crimes and to help victims fight for justice.” It offers free legal support to victims of abuses of power, including minorities and journalists.
“Undesirable organizations” are an element of Kremlin propaganda
“Russia uses an ever-growing legal arsenal to close down any space for discussion or dissent, including laws on 'foreign agents' and 'undesirable organizations,'” the organization wrote on its website. website.
To be on the list of “undesirable organizations” it is enough to express views that contradict Kremlin propaganda. There are already over 140 organizations on it. Officially, they were placed there because of: “a threat to the country's national security”.
Organizations that are deemed undesirable by Russia must cease their activities in Russia altogether, or they may face heavy fines. In addition, anyone who collaborates with an organization deemed “undesirable” may face a fine or even up to five years in prison.