MOSCOW, June 14 (RIA Novosti) - The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution expressing “deep concern” at Russia’s recent legal initiatives, including the controversial NGO law and gay propaganda ban.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) “are disappointed by the bill granting "foreign agent" status to Russian non-commercial organizations engaged in political activities and financed from abroad and are concerned by the negative consequences of the adoption of a federal law on "homosexual propaganda," the EU legislative body said in a statement posted on its website.
A law introduced last November tightens control on NGOs and obliges those that are engaged in political activity and receive foreign funding to register as “foreign agents.”
On Tuesday the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, approved a bill imposing administrative penalties for promoting homosexuality among minors.
MEPs “express deep concern at Russia´s failure to observe its international legal obligations to protect freedom of association, expression and assembly,” the statement reads.
The European parliament also said it “deplores the allegedly politically motivated nature” of prosecution of Russian opposition activists, including Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
At the same time, the resolution welcomes the recent re-opening of proceedings in the case of the 2006 high-profile murder of Russian investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya.
