A new level of lack of freedom

The State Duma introduced laws that actually prohibit civil activities in Russia

Having begun to trample free political, media and educational projects, officials cannot stop until they all eliminate them. New repressive bills prohibit education, give the authorities the opportunity to terminate the activities of “foreign agents” and allow anyone to recognize anyone whose activity the political regime does not approve.

In November, a large package of bills with amendments to the legislation was included in the State Duma. The bills will regulate the activities of NGOs and public associations, the organization and conduct of public events, the activities of the media and educational organizations, and to influence those who are allegedly involved in violations of the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens.

The preparation of repressive laws for adoption is in full swing. At least 12 bills, the purpose of which is to tighten control over public life - quickly advance to approval by deputies. The information background is the fight against foreign intervention. The frontmen of these bills became deputies and senators from the commission on foreign interference in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation. She has been working since the summer of 2019, and, apparently, the time has come to demonstrate the results of her work.

If the bills are adopted in the current form, Russian society will switch to a qualitatively new level of lack of freedom.

Listed sequentially all this array of prohibitions for too long.

Here, it seems to me, the main thing.

The authorities will be able to prohibit the implementation of any programs without explaining the reasons. The programs will need to be reported in advance.

With reports on the status of "Inoage" will need to march all the documents emanating from the organization (except for reports to the Ministry of Justice). The same applies to everyone who is involved in the activities of this organization. This, of course, is about involvement "in the framework of political activity." But by it, as we already know well, it is meant not participation in the elections, but almost any public sphere.

Already 8 years ago, when the law on “foreign agents” was adopted, it was clear that the introduction of this status, despite the statements of the authorities, would lead to the emergence of a special legal regime (“legal ghetto”). And that in relation to those who fall under him, it will be possible to subsequently accept more and more restrictions. All these years, it happened: “foreign agents” were forbidden to nominate members of public observation commissions, to receive the status of “socially oriented NPOs”, to exhibit observers in the elections. Now we got to the direct regulation of their activities. It may be easier to introduce a permissive procedure for foreign financing or prohibit it as such?

This will not happen for a simple reason. In 2018, foreign agents received 759 million rubles from abroad, and all NPOs-85 billion.

That is, the NPO-foreign agents account for less than 1% of all foreign financing received by NPOs.

Considering that agents write down not only human rights activists, but also organizing assistance to patients with diabetes, it is hardly worthwhile to think that some kind of “political NPO” passed by the vigilant eye of the Ministry of Justice.

What kind of money is it and who receives it is probably a worthy of a special investigation. But it is obvious that for someone it is an important and convenient channel for importing money into the country.

New regulations for NPO-“Ino-Agents” are not just additional encumbrances and difficulties in work. The authorities will be able to put them before the choice: to stop the activities that have not been liked by officials or liquidate. Both options are the actual destruction of NGOs. Such a prospect will be a tragedy for the country.

Entire areas of human rights activity may be “cleaned”. But the “foreign agents” have been in their status for several years. They chose their way and are ready for the worst - they expected that the situation could be tightened. It will be worse for those who were not ready for such a development of the situation.

Suppose you are a group of citizens who do not want to register NPOs. You do not need a seal, an account and grants. Nothing, you can also become an “ino -agent”. How in this case it will be determined to receive help (not necessarily money) from abroad? At the discretion of law enforcement, i.e. as wide as possible. Suppose one of the members of the group received money for his work in a company in a company who has a foreign beneficiary who owns more than 25% of the shares. And then your group organized a picket about something socially important. There is foreign money, and there is political activity - everything, congratulations: your group is a “foreign agent”. Now you need to hand over reports to the Ministry of Justice twice a year and put a marking everywhere.

Or imagine that you are not a group, but an indifferent loner. All of the above applies to you. And it is enough to get not even money from abroad, but "organizational and methodological assistance." In the seminar participated - please get a label.

I will specifically note: in contrast to the American law Fara (where there are also individuals - “foreign agents”), the Russian legislator intentionally refuses to link specific money with specific activities. Money and any other resources may not be related to the topic on which you decided to speak publicly.

It is only important that the funds (reflected in your income) can be considered foreign, and activity - political. As the experience of the FBK shows, a person or organization is easy to substitute by making a translation from abroad: the recipient’s consent is not required for this.

Already since February 2020, citizens can be recognized as “foreign agents”. So far, no one received this status, but in May the Ministry of Justice issued a special order. Apparently, he will soon begin to work. Even “foreign agents” can be recognized as candidates for elected positions, and the media will have to mark any mention of all representatives of this big dishonest family.

Meanwhile, the fight against “foreign intervention” is just an information background, which, in my opinion, should shade of other, no less destructive innovations of bills.

Imagine now that you are not a “foreign”, but you want to organize a large rally. You need to pay for the sound, the presence of doctors and other expenses. In accordance with one of the bills, you must have a single account (as in the elections), and you can spend funds on a rally only from it. Do you want to transfer money to this?

Please introduce passport data (the state may find out in statistics on suspicious operations). Anonymous donations will be prohibited. And “foreign agents” will generally be forbidden to finance any public events. And how, in such a situation, the “Memorial” conduct the “Return of the Names”?

Journalists at rallies will have to wear unified distinctive signs. Journalists will also be prohibited by any manifestation of their own civil position. A critical article on the Internet about the next constitutional referendum may become an occasion for the election commission to blame you for illegal agitation and demand to block your blog, or even the entire platform on which it is placed.

Fines for violations of all this are greatly increased. Where there were 5 thousand rubles. - There will be 50, and where it was 100 - it will become half a million.

In the shadow of these rules there are two more bills. One will allow the authorities to disable YouTube, Facebook and other foreign platforms if they block Russian materials (for example, considering them fake news). The second gives the authorities the right to regulate educational activities.

How exactly she will be regulated is incomprehensible. But the state will have the right to do this. As in the case of “political activity”, anything can be brought under education. You report the information - share knowledge, talk about yourself - passing on experience. Any blog can be declared educational activities and is thoroughly regulated.

Lawless people are concerned not only to “foreign influence”. Separately, they distinguish “a message from inaccurate information about the historical, national, religious and cultural traditions of peoples.” Any information can be considered inaccurate - this has already been tested when pursuing fake distributors about coronavirus.

In fact, the authorities can consider the truth what they officially declared, and everything else is inaccurate information.

Popular political science claims that totalitarianism is trying to control all aspects of human life, and the authoritarian regime claims only to a monopoly in the political sphere. Life, alas, is richer than such generalizations. The Russian regime increases control over society and expands the boundaries of what he considers politically significant. In recent years, part of the activity has moved from the spheres of media and policies to enlightenment. But the authorities complete the cleansing of the "political field" and go further. Now the efforts and labor of thousands of people are threatened, who in a situation of authoritarian frost sought to preserve and develop culture, disseminate knowledge.

The authorities act consistently. First, it enhances political and ideological control over education. Teachers create a free university to get rid of "administrative dictatorship." It becomes popular. And now the state administrator extends his hands outside the university campus: he needs to regulate education.

It is the last bill clearly shows that the political regime, which has embarked on the path of absorption of all free and independent, can no longer stop. The process of grinding society will continue. And if you are against this - you are most likely a “foreign agent”. Even if you did not receive foreign money, this does not mean that you cannot be found.