Against adoption of bill limiting NGO’s opportunities  over 4 800 signatures collected

The bill offered by the State Duma on November, 8th and approved by the deputies in the first reading on November, 23rd, 2005, caused a serious resonance in society. On November, 10th representatives of Russian noncommercial organizations made the open appeal which at 11.00 p.m. on December, 2nd, 2005, was supported by 4 800 public organizations and active workers.

Among signers of the appeal there are known people, such, as writers Boris Strugatsky and Andrey Bitov, sociologist George Satarov, ecologist Alexey Yablokov, and usual citizens; representatives of the most different trades, and also pensioners, students and pupils of schools.

Under the appeal representatives of the most different organizations made their signatures: society "Memorial", the Moscow Helsinki Group, the Union of committees of soldier's mothers of Russia, the International socially-ecological union, the Union of birds’ protection of Russia, Russian Green Peace, the Center of protection of wild nature, Union "Women of Don", the Club of philatelists, the Union of radio fans, the Club of book fans and many others.

The sharp negative altitude to that bill was stated by the chairman of the Council at the president of Russian Federation on assistance to development of institutes of civil society and human rights Ella Pamfilova and the representative under human rights in Russian Federation Vladimir Lukin.

Members of the Council prepared and sent the letter addressed to the president of Russian Federation where they stated their position concerned the bill; and Lukin sent a letter to the speaker of the State Duma Gryzlov with the offer to postpone consideration of the bill before its wide public discussion.

With the similar request to Boris Gryzlov members of the Public chamber (the reference was signed by 21 members of the chamber) and participants of the Russian-German forum "Petersburg dialogue" (headed by Michael Gorbachev) addressed.

Representatives of the international community stated the negative position in relation to the bill.

The president of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin reacted to the situation around adoption of the bill. On November, 25th he met with the speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov. "I count very much on that during discussion of this bill deputies of the State Duma will make the balanced decision and will not allow that the passed law causing any injure to civil society of Russia", - told the president of Russia at his meeting with the speaker of the State Duma.

On December, 9th in the State Duma of Russian Federation the second reading of the bill is planned.

hro.org

P.S. Adygeya had also taken part in the action. The document was signed, in particular, by "Circassian congress" and agency "AdygeaNatPress".