OSCE Chair Considers Russia's Ban Of FBK Attempt To Suppress Opposition

Designating the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK, designated foreign agent in Russia) of opposition figure Alexey Navalny as an extremist organization is Russia's attempt to suppress the opposition ahead of parliamentary elections, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Anne Linde said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th June, 2021) Designating the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK, designated foreign agent in Russia) of opposition figure Alexey Navalny as an extremist organization is Russia's attempt to suppress the opposition ahead of parliamentary elections, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Anne Linde said on Thursday.

A Moscow court handed down the FBK ruling on Wednesday. The organization and its regional affiliates were ordered to stop all operations in the country effective immediately.

"Russia has retroactively outlawed Navalny's organisation FBK by labelling it 'extremist.' This is a blatant attempt to suppress genuine political opposition in Russia ahead of Duma elections in September.

We urge Russia to abide fully by its international commitments," Linde tweeted.

Participation in Russian elections is prohibited for members of extremist organizations.

The ruling has sparked criticism among several Western countries. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab described it as "another Kafka-esque attack on those standing up against corruption and for open societies." The noticeably quick reaction of the US Department of State prompted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to accuse Washington of meddling.