Russian Justice Ministry to consider Anti-Maidan leader’s request on checking several NGOs for foreign financing

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MOSCOW. Aug 20 (Interfax) – The Russian Justice Ministry will consider an appeal by Federation Council member Dmitry Sablin, the founder of the Anti-Maidan movement, on checking a number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) for receiving financing from abroad.

“The Russian Justice Ministry has received an appeal from Russian Federation Council member Dmitry Sablin. The appeal will be considered within the timeframe stipulated by the law,” the ministry told Interfax.

Anti-Maidan had announced earlier that it had forwarded a letter to Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov to ask for checking a number of Russian NGOs for being financed from abroad. The NGOs in question include Levada Center, the Moscow Helsinki Group, the Carnegie Moscow Center, and the Legal Assistance Astrea.

Anti-Maidan’s appeal quotes some media reports alleging that a number of Russian NGOs cooperated with the Open Society Foundations (OSF, known also as the Soros Foundation), which has been officially qualified as an organization undesirable in Russia.

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