Round Table of Russian Human Rights Defenders and Media recognised as Foreign Agents | Live on 22.11

Запись на русском: https://youtu.be/JZIQvyTQ0vI

On November 22, from 13 to 14.30 Moscow time, OVD-Info, the Memorial Human Rights Center and the International Memorial, with the support of the 7×7 journal, will hold a round table of human rights defenders, lawyers and the media recognized as foreign agents. UN Special Rapporteurs are invited to participate in the discussion.

Experts will discuss the negative effects the law on foreign agents has on their professional activities: the threats of liquidation, fines, labeling requirements, marginalization and difficulties in working with partners. The outrageous case with the demands of the prosecutor’s office to liquidate Memorials is the tip of the iceberg of the problems faced by civil society in Russia due to the discriminatory practice of applying the foreign agents legislation.

Moderator: Olga Podoplelova, Head of the Legal Department, Russia Behind Bars foundation*
Special Guest: Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

Speakers:
Dmitry Gurin, senior lawyer of the Memorial Human Rights Center*, legal representative of the International Memorial*
Elena Pershakova, Head of the Legal Practice for fundamental freedoms of the Public Verdict Foundation*
Valeria Vetoshkina, attorney, was recognized as a media foreign agent in her personal capacity;
Dmitry Treshchanin, journalist of Mediazona***;
Denis Shedov, lawyer and analyst of OVD-Info**, member of HRC Memorial*.

Participants without a presentation:
Olga Gnezdilova, attorney for the Stichting Justice Initiative*, Polina Fillipova, Deputy Director of the Sakharov Center.

0:00 Start of the streaming
1:11 Liquidation of the International Memorial* and the Memorial Human Rights Center*
08:41 Fines and self-liquidation of regional organizations
14:48 Media functioning after being blacklisted
20:43 OVD-Info** activities, consequences for NGOs after the Memorial* liquidation, and the petition demanding cancellation of “foreign agents” law
26:39 Unclear status for an individual-foreign agent, and pressure on lawyers' community
31:34 the Stichting Justice Initiative* liquidation, threats to independent media, and regional problems
36:38 Cuts in Sakharov Center projects for youth, and difficulties in regions
41:48 Pressure on indigenous peoples' human rights organizations and on Stepan Petrov* of "Yakutia - Our Opinion"
44:36 Questions from Mary Lawlor:
49:38 Number of self-disbanded organizations, due to the inability to pay fines
51:43 Difference between non-profit organizations and socially-oriented organizations. Foundation "Humanitarian Action"* declared as a “foreign agent”
54:25 Why the “foreign agents” list update is happening on Friday
55:57 How this law affects women, LGBTQ+ people, and organizations supporting them
59:18 Pressure on regional organizations – fines, labeling requirements, self-censorship
1:06:31 Removing from “foreign agents” registry

* included by the Russian Ministry of Justice in the list of NGOs performing the functions of foreign agents;
** included by the Russian Ministry of Justice in the list of unregistered public associations performing the function of foreign agents;
*** included by the Russian Ministry of Justice in the list of mass media performing the function of foreign agents.

Видео Round Table of Russian Human Rights Defenders and Media recognised as Foreign Agents | Live on 22.11 канала ОВД-Инфо