(Meeting of Public Council in Krasnodar, Russia; October 2015; photo by Natylie S. Baldwin)
It is my understanding that it is not unusual for Russia to draft a law attempting to address some problem or issue, only to realize once it has been passed that it is problematic or not being implemented. In cases like this it is often discovered that such a law is viewed by local bureaucrats as so vaguely worded that they don’t bother implementing it. Or, conversely, it is abused by local bureaucrats. The Russian government often has to review and amend such laws.
The Moscow Times reported on May 18th that the Russian government has amended the controversial foreign agents law to exclude charities and cultural organizations:
“Charities are no longer to be classified as “foreign agents” if they receive money from abroad, according to a new amendment approved by the Russian State Duma.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in areas such as art and culture will also be exempt from the “foreign agent” label, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.”
About a year from now, I intend to follow up with the civil society activists I interviewed in Krasnodar and see how the change in the law is playing out on the ground.
Read the full article here:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/569726.html
Very good news. I can’t wait to read your follow-up with the activists in Krasnodar.
Thanks, J.T. Sorry I took so long to respond to your comment. I’m just now seeing that I had comments to approve on some of my posts. Still getting the hang of the in’s and out’s of WordPress. 🙂