Russian lawmakers want to ban Deutsche Welle

Lawmakers in the lower house of Russia's parliament, the State Duma, proposed that Deutsche Welle and the British Council be added to the list of "undesirable" organizations in Russia.

Their request has been sent to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, the Committee on Security and Corruption Control Chairman Vasily Piskarev said on Tuesday.

"We mean blocking their accounts, closing their branches and offices, and banning the distribution of information materials," he said. "And for those who continue to cooperate or establish contacts with them, will be subject to administrative and criminal liability."

Russia already labels Deutsche Welle a 'foreign agent'

The Russian authorities banned Deutsche Welle from broadcasting in Russia on February 3, 2022, and labeled it a "foreign agent" in March of the same year.

Deutsche Welle Director General Peter Limbourg condemned the step at the time, calling it an "arbitrary decision by the Russian authorities."

"It is a further attack on press freedom and a fresh attempt to cut the Russian population off from free, independent media," he said.

'Undesirable' organizations in Russia

This August, Russia passed a new law on so-called "undesirable" organizations." Before then, only non-governmental organizations, particularly oppositional institutions such as political foundations, human rights groups, and environmental associations, could be declared "undesirable."

Under the amended law, any foreign organization could be declared "undesirable" if its "founders or stakeholders are state bodies of a foreign country."

Participating in the activities of such organizations carries severe penalties of up to four years of imprisonment, coupled with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions. Financing such organizations can lead to a penalty of up to five years in prison, and organizing their activities can result in a penalty of up to six years.

The number of "undesirable" organizations in Russia has increased sharply since the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine.

According to reports, in 2022, the Russian authorities branded 23 organizations as "undesirable", and in 2023, the number was 58. As of August 14, 2024, nearly 200 organizations in Russia were classified as "undesirable."

This article has been translated from German.