ALJAZEERA: …The law, which was cleared by the upper house of parliament earlier in July, will force non-governmental organisations (NGOs) engaging in “political activity” to register with the justice ministry as “foreign agents” and to file a report to officials every quarter.
The law also requires NGOs to submit detailed annual financial reports, which critics say would be a time-consuming and costly burden on organisations with small staffs and meager funding.
Opposition groups say Putin is trying to silence groups whose criticism of his human rights record has undercut his credibility and helped fuel seven months of protests against his rule, the biggest since he came to power in 2000…. (more)
