Russian authorities on Wednesday declared «undesirable» the activities of Free Russia Forum, a conference of Russian political opponents founded by former chess player Garri Kasparov and held twice a year in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius, saying its activities «pose a threat to the constitutional order and security» of the country.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has indicated in a statement published on its website that the decision has been adopted «based on the results of the study of the materials received» and has indicated that the activities of the forum «are undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation».
«Information about the decision has been sent to the Russian Ministry of Justice for inclusion in the list of foreign and international non-governmental organizations whose activities are recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation and their subsequent publication,» it remarked.
The forum was founded in March 2016 by Kasparov and Ivan Tiutrin, former executive director of the democratic movement Solidarnost. Thus, it states on its website that «it is an independent platform of the Russian opposition to discuss issues on Russian and international politics, as well as to achieve solutions to bring Russia out of its political, economic and civilizational crisis.»
«The central focus of the forum is the formation of an intellectual alternative to the regime of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin that creates a framework for building a new Europe-oriented Russia.» Eleven forums have been held since March 2016, while three conferences held in Vilnius since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine have been organized under the auspices of Free Russia Forum.
Russia in March 2022 listed Kasparov as a foreign agent alongside oligarch and head of the Yukos oil company, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Moscow attributes to both of them «political activities» against Russia and to have received funds from Ukrainian or U.S. agencies.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
