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Russian Authorities Raid Amnesty International Office Russian Authorities Raid Amnesty International Office
(about 1 hour later)
MOSCOW – Russian authorities on Monday raided the local headquarters of the human rights group Amnesty International, the latest in a continuing series of office searches aimed at putting pressure on nongovernmental groups. MOSCOW – Russian authorities on Monday raided the local headquarters of the human rights group Amnesty International, the latest in a continuing series of office searches intended to put pressure on nongovernmental groups.
The head of Amnesty International, Sergei Nikitin, said in a telephone interview that officials from the general prosecutor’s offices and from the tax police arrived Monday morning unannounced to conduct what they described as an “audit” and demanded a list of documents, most of which Mr. Nikitin said were already on file with the government. The head of Amnesty International, Sergei Nikitin, said in a telephone interview that officials from the general prosecutor’s offices and from the tax police arrived unannounced on Monday morning to conduct what they described as an “audit” and demanded a list of documents, most of which Mr. Nikitin said were already on file with the government.
“They’re sitting and waiting for me to bring the originals and copies,” Mr. Nikitin said. “This is ongoing because we of course were not expecting them today.” “They’re sitting and waiting for me to bring the originals and copies,” Mr. Nikitin said. “This is ongoing because we, of course, were not expecting them today.”
He added, “They don’t have any concrete complaints. They say it’s a regular check and other cliché phrases.” He added: “They don’t have any concrete complaints. They say it’s a regular check and other cliché phrases.”
Last week, the authorities conducted a similar raid at the offices of Memorial, an international historical society and human rights group that has operated in Russia and other post-Soviet states for more than two decades.Last week, the authorities conducted a similar raid at the offices of Memorial, an international historical society and human rights group that has operated in Russia and other post-Soviet states for more than two decades.
Pavel Chikov, a member of Russia’s presidential human rights council, has said that dozens of groups had been subjected to searches in the past month. Pavel Chikov, a member of Russia’s presidential human rights council, has said dozens of groups have been subjected to searches in the past month.
The Kremlin has taken a series of steps in recent months aimed at clamping down on nonprofit organizations, particularly those that receive financing and other support from abroad, and the Russian Parliament has adopted a battery of legislation including various new restrictions and requirements. The Kremlin has taken a series of steps in recent months seeking to clamp down on nonprofit organizations, particularly those that receive financing and other support from abroad, and the Russian Parliament has adopted a battery of legislation including various new restrictions and requirements.
Depending on how they are financed, certain groups, for instance, are now required to register as “foreign agents.” And certain types of nonprofit groups, working in the political realm are barred from employing foreigners in leadership positions. Depending on how they are financed, certain groups, for instance, are now required to register as “foreign agents.” And certain types of nonprofit groups working in the political realm are barred from employing foreigners in leadership positions.
Some groups that received substantial financing from abroad, including organizations that worked with the United States Agency for International Development, have moved their offices out of Russia. In September, the Kremlin ended its cooperation with USAID, which had included more than 20 years of partnership on various projects, including public health and civil society campaigns in Russia.Some groups that received substantial financing from abroad, including organizations that worked with the United States Agency for International Development, have moved their offices out of Russia. In September, the Kremlin ended its cooperation with USAID, which had included more than 20 years of partnership on various projects, including public health and civil society campaigns in Russia.
Mr. Nikitin said that the prosecutors and tax police were accompanied by a crew from the government-controlled NTV television channel, which is known for producing salacious reports about critics of the Russian government. Mr. Nikitin said the prosecutors and tax police were accompanied by a crew from the government-controlled NTV television channel, which is known for producing salacious reports about critics of the Russian government.
“Right behind them came employees from the television state NTV who aren’t leaving and are trying to break in. They’re knocking, calling and this is creating additional difficulties for us in this unpleasant situation,” Mr. Nikitin said. He added that the officials on site professed no knowledge of how NTV learned of the raid. “Right behind them came employees from the television state NTV, who aren’t leaving and are trying to break in,” Mr. Nitkin said. “They’re knocking, calling, and this is creating additional difficulties for us in this unpleasant situation.” He added that the officials on site professed no knowledge of how NTV learned of the raid.
But he said the government’s actions were far more concerning. “All of this is a form of scaring us, it’s a way for them to show that they aren’t taking their eyes off of us,” he said. “You can call it a toughening of the government’s relationship to rights organizations, because in the past we have never faced these smear campaigns.”But he said the government’s actions were far more concerning. “All of this is a form of scaring us, it’s a way for them to show that they aren’t taking their eyes off of us,” he said. “You can call it a toughening of the government’s relationship to rights organizations, because in the past we have never faced these smear campaigns.”