MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the listing of German NGOs as 'undesirable organisations' by Russia and the detention of Andrei Pivovarov

8.6.2021 - (2021/2749(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Anna Fotyga, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Alexandr Vondra, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Roberts Zīle, Elżbieta Rafalska, Charlie Weimers, Ryszard Czarnecki, Veronika Vrecionová, Bogdan Rzońca, Jacek Saryusz‑Wolski
on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0347/2021

B9‑0352/2021

European Parliament resolution on the listing of German NGOs as 'undesirable organisations' by Russia and the detention of Andrei Pivovarov

(2021/2749(RSP))

The European Parliament,

− having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia; in particular those of 12 March 2019 on the state of EU-Russia political relations, of 19 September 2019 on the importance of European remembrance for the future of Europe, of 19 December 2019 on the Russian ‘foreign agents’ law, of 17 September 2020 on the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, of 21 January 2021 on the arrest of Alexei Navalny and of 29 April 2021 on Russia, the case of Alexei Navalny, the military build-up on Ukraine’s border and Russian attacks in the Czech Republic,

− having regard to the Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU of 15 May 2021 on the publication of a list of so-called “unfriendly States”;

− having regard to Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961; 

− having regard to the Statement by the Spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS) of 27 May 2021 on the listing of German NGOs as “undesirable organisations”;

− having regard to the Statement by the Spokesperson of the EEAS of 27 May 2021 on the listing of German NGOs as “undesirable organisations”, of 1 June 2021 on the detention of Andrei Pivovarov and of 4 June 2021 on the law on so-called “extremist organisations”;

− having regard to statement by the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee on the detention of Mr Andrey Pivovarov, Director of the dissolved ONG ‘Open Russia’ on board of an EU commercial airplane about to take off from St. Petersburg airport of 3 June 2021,

− having regard to the draft report on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the direction of EU-Russia political relations (2021/2042(INI)),

− having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. Whereas on 4 June President Vladimir Putin signed a new law banning anyone with links to so-called “extremist organisations” from running in elections in Russia; whereas this is another regulation in the long list of laws drastically expanding the scope of individuals and groups that can be designated as ‘foreign agents’ or ‘undesirable organisations’ amounting to additional tools against critical and opposition voices in Russia;

B. Whereas on 31 May Andrei Pivovarov, a former Executive Director of “Open Russia”, was removed after boarding from a taxing Polish plane LOT in Saint Petersburg and therefore should be seen as a provocation of the Kremlin, whereas Pivovarov was detained for alleged violations of the law on so-called “undesirable organisations”; whereas “Open Russia” ended its activities under heavy administrative pressure few days earlier over fears its members would be punished under new laws; whereas the arrest of Mr Pivovarov represents a continuous pattern of state actions against Russian civil society, opposition representatives and independent media in Russia; 

C. Whereas in the run-up to Duma elections scheduled for September 2021, Russian authorities continue to increase pressure on opposition leaders and activists around the country,restrict independent media by listing outlets such as Meduza, VTimes (legally based in the Netherlands) and individual journalists and activists, including Denis Kamalyagin, Sergei Markelov, Liudmila Savitskya from Radio Free Europe, Lev Ponomarev and Darya Apakhonchich, as ‘media - foreign agents’;

D. whereas Russian authorities also exert heavy pressure on Aleksei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, which has already been declared a ‘foreign agent’ and now is in the process of being designated as an ‘extremist organisation’; whereas Aleksei Navalny remains in custody since January 2021, where he faces ill-treatment and severe health problems; 

E. whereas  the research of Levada Center shows that ruling United Russia is polling at historic lows after backing an unpopular pension reform and pushing through the adoption of a raft of constitutional amendments, including one that could enable President Vladimir Putin to remain in office until 2036;

F. whereas, according to the Memorial Human Rights Centre, there are currently nearly 400 political prisoners in Russia;

G. whereas on 26 May Russian Prosecutor General listed three German NGOs: Forum Russischsprachiger Europaer e.V., Zentrum fur die Liberale Moderne GmbH and Deutsch-Russischer Austausch e.V. as 'undesirable organisations';

H. whereas the situation of human rights and the rule of law continues to deteriorate in Russia, considering that Russia is a signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, and is a member of the Council of Europe;

I. whereas the European Parliament presented a draft report calling for a review of the EU’s policy towards Russia and its five guiding principles;

1. Calls on the Russian authorities to immediately release Andrei Pivovarov and drop all charges against him, other political prisoners and all prosecuted members of the NGOs, journalists and others detained  because of their critical stance towards the government;

2. Urges Russian authorities to Revoke the discriminatory legislation on ‘foreign agents’ and ‘undesirable organisations’ and immediately cease ongoing criminal prosecutions against different NGOs on these laws; Condemns the Russian authorities’ intention to designate Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and his network of regional offices as “extremist” groups;  Calls on the Russian authorities to reverse the decision to ban three German NGOs and contribute to developing mutual understanding across borders;

3. Urges the Russian authorities to repeal the law, which bans anyone linked to so-called “extremist organisations” from running in national elections, and respect Russia’s international human rights obligations;

4. Strongly condemns the ongoing trend of repressions against political opponents, human rights activists, journalists and bloggers that amount to administrative burdens, fines, arrests and even killings, including but not limited to those of Boris Nemtsov, Anna Politkovskaya, Sergei Protazanov, Natalya Estemirova, Alexander Litvinenko, Viktor Yushchenko, Sergei Skripal and Aleksei Navalny;

5. In this regard calls on the international community to properly investigate information about the two near-fatal illnesses suffered by opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza while travelling in Russia in 2015 and 2017, which according to leaked documents and independent investigation were caused by ‘intentional poisoning’;

6. Reiterates its call on the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Aleksei Navalny and open a criminal investigation into his poisoning, ensuring that all those responsible are brought to justice in fair trial proceedings;

7. Regrets that the bill approved by the lower house of the Russian parliament bars members, donors and supporters of “extremist” groups from seeking public office – a measure that would keep opposition from running for parliament in September,

8. Condemns sentencing by illegal Russia-run court in the occupied Ukrainian city Simferopol in absentia Mr Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatar People’s self-governing body, to six years of prison and a fine for politically-motivated charges, which act constitutes a serious violation of his human rights and another example of the persecution of the Crimean Tatar community by the Russian “authorities”.

9. In view of the severe and ongoing human rights violations in Russia, calls upon the Council and Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to work towards blocking Russia’s access to the SWIFT system and to impose further targeted sanctions, including cutting off access for Russian oligarchs and officials responsible for human rights violations to real-estate purchases, visas, financial products, etc. in EU;

10. Underlines the need for the EU and Member States to step up support to human rights defenders, civil society and those defending political and civil freedoms in Russia by rising their profile via meetings at ambassador level or during official visits, supporting them via social media, op-eds and articles in independent Russian and Russian-language channels;

11. Considers unacceptable the use of false historical arguments to justify the construction of Nord Stream 2; is of the view that such a controversial geopolitical project goes against European solidarity and poses further political, economic, security and environmental risks to Europe, as well as constituting a threat of further direct military action against Ukraine; calls on the German authorities, therefore, to halt their backing of this detrimental project, and appeals to private entities, shareholders and financial investors, in particular Germany’s Uniper and Wintershall, France’s Engie, Austria’s OMV and the Dutch-British Shell, to immediately withdraw from it; 

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the President, Government and the State Duma of the Russian Federation.