“Russia Behind Bars” (“Rus Sidyashchaya”) consists of lawyers, attorneys, journalists, economists, and former prisoners. In its work, the foundation helps political prisoners, victims of contract cases, and those who want to rehabilitate. “Russia Behind Bars” provides defense in courts, helps to write complaints, teaches how to properly talk to investigators and other law enforcement officers, and how to make transfers to pre-trial detention centers and colonies. Only in the second half of 2020, the foundation helped to organize around 3,061 legal consultations, two groups of psychological assistance, and send 505 parcels. Every month, “Russia Behind Bars” conducts free courses of the “School of Public Defender” (SHOZ), where it tells about the rights and duties of citizens, as well as how they should behave with police officers.

Name
Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Convicts and their Families “Russia Behind Bars”
Field of activity
Help for prisoners and convicts
Status
“Foreign agent” (NGO)
Reason for recognition
The organization itself applied to be included in the register of "foreign agents". The reason was that the Foundation received financial support from the European Commission of the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The political component that Russian Ministry of Justice detected was the participation of the Foundation in activities to ensure legislative rights of Russian people.
Year of recognition
2018
Status description
Since 2012, such status can be obtained by non-profit organizations registered in Russia, and from 2020 unregistered public associations, which, according to the Russian government: a) receive foreign funding, b) participate in “political activity,” which is understood as any public activity. Who recognizes: Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Responsibilities: NPO-"foreign agents” are required to provide a report on their activities, audit reports, and data on the organization’s pe...
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