Freedom House Tightening the Screws: The Kremlin's Legal Campaign against Civil Society e@ JANUARY 2006: Amendments to Certain e@ JUNE 2014: Amendments to the Law on Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Noncommercial Organizations This law gave authorities the power to deny Enacted to strengthen enforcement of the registration to organizations that “threaten” foreign agents law, this legislation authorized Russia, bar foreigners from opening the Justice Ministry to register NGOs as foreign organizations, subject foreign funding to more agents without their consent and without a court scrutiny, and make the founding and operation of order, and shifted the burden of proof to NGOs, organizations excessively burdensome, including compelling them to go to court to fight the label. by imposing frequent audits and reporting requirements. e@ MAY 2015: Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation e JULY 2012: Amendments to the Law on Known as the “undesirable organizations Noncommercial Organizations, the Criminal law,” this package of changes empowered the Code, the Law on Public Associations, and the prosecutor general to shut down or restrict the Law on Combating Money Laundering and the activities of NGOs that are deemed “undesirable,” Financing of Terrorism vaguely defined as groups that pose “a threat This package of measures, which included to the foundation of the constitutional order of the provision known as the “foreign agents the Russian Federation, the defense capability law,” required nongovernmental organizations of the country, or the security of the state.” (NGOs) that receive foreign funding and carry The amendments bar such organizations from out broadly defined “political activity” to register opening delegate offices, carrying out programs, with the Justice Ministry and meet onerous and promoting their activities in Russia, and requirements, including filing quarterly financial subject collaborators with these NGOs to reports, s