On February 6, 2013 eleven non-governmental organizations sent a complaint about the Federal law № 121-Federal “On introducing changes in certain legislative acts RF concerning regulating activity of NGO who function as a foreign agent”(hereinafter – “Foreign agents” law) to the European Court of human rights (ECHR). Among the applicants there are human rights and educational organizations, and even one ecological.

The complaint was sent by:

The “Voice” Democracy Fund(the leading body is situated in Moscow),

Saint Petersburg public human rights organization “Civil Control”,

Regional public charity organization providing help to refugees and displaced people “Civil assistance”(Moscow),

All-Russian social movement “For Human Rights”,

Interregional public organization “Committee against torture”(the leading body situated in Nizhny Novgorod),

Autonomous nonprofit human rights organization “Mashr”(Ingushetia),

International historical and educational, charity and human rights society “Memorial”(International “Memorial”),

Interregional public organization Human Rights Center “Memorial”(the leading body in Moscow).

Regional public organization “Moscow Public Group to Promote Fulfillment of the Helsinki Accords – Moscow Helsinki group”,

Regional public organization “Ecoprotection! (Ecozaschita)” (Kaliningrad),

Human rights and freedoms protection fund “Public verdict” (Moscow).

The complaint was prepared by Furkat Tishaev, a lawyer of HRC “Memorial”. The applicants’ interests in ECHR are represented by the lawyers of HRC “Memorial” and of the European center of human rights.

On February 7, 2013 at 13:30 in the Independent press-center(Moscow, Prechistenka street, 17) the representatives of the applicant organizations will tell why they think:

the “Foreign agents” law grossly violates their rights, guaranteed by the article 11(freedom of assembly and association), by the article 10(freedom of expression), by the article 14 (forbidding discrimination) and by the article 18(extent of rights limitations)of the European Convention of Human Rights and basic freedoms;

which status are the organizations-applicants fend their complaint to ECHR;

what system problems the “Foreign agents” law.