Charities in firing line of Russian law

Putin says new legislation needed to combat terrorism

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MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Russia has brought into force a new law that critics say gives officials a free hand to harass charities and human rights groups they do not like.

The law, regulating the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), has brought fresh allegations the Kremlin is backtracking on democracy in a year in which Russia is making its debut as chair of the Group of Eight rich nations.

President Vladimir Putin says the law is needed to help stop terrorists, money launderers and foreign intelligence services using NGOs as a cover. He says legitimate groups have nothing to fear from the new rules.

Foreign and Russian groups said their biggest concern was not so much the new requirements set out in the law as the scope it leaves for abuse by officials.

"(Officials' powers) are so vaguely formulated, they are so broad, that in effect a bureaucrat, if he wants to ... can put our existence under threat," said Oleg Orlov, head of human rights with Memorial, a Russian pressure group.

The law affects groups from sports clubs to green campaigners and human rights organizations, which have several months to comply with the new rules. Groups unhappy with the law say the provisions that cause them most concern are:

Russian NGOs have to re-register with the state. In theory, they can be refused registration.

Russian groups must file an annual report to the authorities. Officials can also inspect them once a year to check that their activities comply with their charter.

The law tightens control on foreign funding for Russian organizations.

Officials can order a foreign NGO to stop a program in Russia if it is deemed to threaten national interests.

After criticism by foreign leaders, including U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, lawmakers late last year removed a clause that would have required foreign NGOs to register as Russian legal entities.

But one foreign group said the clause letting officials halt program was a problem.

"That part of the law is very weakly defined and that's the area that I think has the most potential to cause problems," said Steven Solnick, director of the Moscow office for the Ford Foundation, a U.S.-based group.

The official who will be in charge of registering and monitoring NGOs said the criticism was unfounded.

"(My agency) does not regard the law as a tool for suppressing dissent," Ekho Moskvy radio station quoted Alexei Zhafyarov, a department head at the Federal Registration Service, as saying. Any FSS official caught abusing the law will be punished, Zhafyarov said.

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