Duma approves NGO curbs

The bill, which has been sharply criticised by human rights groups, foreign NGOs and several Western governments, will soon go to the Federation Council, the upper house, where it is expected to have a smooth sail, before being signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.

This has been one of the most controversial bills to come before the Russian parliament, since Putin came to power. US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice recently expressed serious concern over it, alleging that it would restrict the work of foreign branches of NGOs in Russia. The Kremlin had called for tougher control over the NGOs, claiming that they were front outfits for foreign spies and that they had to be made financially accountable.

Under the final versions of the bill, after several amendments, existing NGOs will not have to be reregistered, but new branches and representations of foreign NGOs will have to register themselves with a single Federal Registration Agency (FRA), in the country.

They will also have to report about their programmes, financing and the local organisations they wanted to deal with.