Russia opens first criminal case under ‘foreign agent’ law

Moscow / AFP

Russian authorities have launched their first criminal case against a rights activist for failing to comply with Moscow’s controversial “foreign agent” law, the activist said on Tuesday.
Valentina Cherevatenko, who runs two women’s rights NGOs in the southern Rostov region, could face up to two years in prison if she is charged under legislation which critics say aims to crack down on civil society.
The 2012 law—introduced after mass protests against President Vladimir Putin’s return for a third term—allows the authorities to brand groups that receive funding from abroad and engage in vaguely-defined political activity as “foreign agents”, a term reminiscent of the Soviet-era repression of dissidents.
Many organisations have been fined for violating the legislation, but this latest case marks the first time the head of an NGO could face criminal charges under the law.
Cherevatenko said she stands accused of failing to register one of her organisations, Women of the Don Foundation for Civil Society Development, as a foreign agent with the authorities.
“We did not register with authorities because our organisation did not and doesn’t have the intention of receiving foreign funding and engaging in political activities,” Valentina Cherevatenko said.