Foreign Agents in Russia - Doria

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Бок) (that is not even an traditional organized NKO), the Muravyorsky nature park (Муравьёвский
природный парк), Islamic Culture Research Foundation (фонд Исследований исламской
культуры), public association Soldiers' mothers (Комитет солдатских матерей), the International
Association of Peace Foundation (Международная ассоциация фондов мира), health organization
Helping patients with cystic fibrosis (Помощь больным муковисцидозом), environmental group
Ulukitan (Улукиткан), and human righs associations Human Rights Center Memorial (Мемориал),
human rights and democracy development organization Moscow-Helsinki Group (Московская-
Хельсинская Группа), Agora (Агора), Committee against Torture (Комитет против пыток), Man
and Law (Человек и закон), Public Verdict (Общественный вердикт), Legal Initiative (Правовая
инициатива), Sova (Сова), Ural human rights group (Уральской правозащитной группы),
Kostrom center of community initiative support (Костромской центр поддержки общественных
инициатив), For human rights (За права человека) and Shield and Sword (Щит и Меч). Overall
the discourse presented by media is that the group of potential foreign agents is very heterogeneous.
The catalogue of NKO's linked with foreign agents in media are characterized by many of the
features in conflict with the sixth section of the second article of the NKO Law (consultantplyus.)
that defines activities excluded from the political activities of foreign agents. Such discoursive
controversy appears inter alia: science (Levada, Islamic Culture Research Foundation), art and
culture (Bok o Bok), prevention and protection of health (Helping patients with cystic fibrosis),
protection of flora and wildlife (Ulukitkan). In one considered scandalous considered event even the
Nordic Council of Ministers was accused for a while to be an foreign agent (Echo 2013g). The
descriptions of organizations are portrayed here according to the news articles. Despite of the fact
that the stories behind simplifying headlines are more complicated than for example an organization
being accused for being a foreign agent for its activities in science, a headline saying that a
scientific organization is accused for being a foreign agent can quickly create a discoursive
connection between scientific organizations and foreign agents. These discourses are fed by the fact
that often in the news reports there is only little if any details of the accused actions or actions under
suspicion.
As the list above indicates, many of the NKOs connected to foreign agents in the news were
human rights organizations (HROs). Through various events and active participation in public
debate the HROs as both the objects and subjects of the issue became very much connected to the
ideas of foreign agents. In defining of an HRO one definition might see that an NKO defending
rights of sexual minorities to be more of a human rights organization than a law firm but here by a
human rights organizations or groups I mean the NKOs portrayed as such in news. I note that many
of these NKOs were addingly described to aim at fighting corruption and developing civil society.
Since the new amendments on the law on NKOs were set, the HROs were the constantly reported