Russia: Moscow rally defends science fund declared foreign agent
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 6 June 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Moscow rally defends science fund declared foreign agent, 6 June 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/558bc4e951.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
June 06, 2015
A few thousand people took part in a Moscow rally to support a pro-science foundation under pressure from the government.
The rally on June 6 comes two weeks after Justice Ministry officials put the private Dynasty Foundation – a top sponsor of science in Russia – on its list of foreign agents.
Any NGO that receives foreign funding and is deemed to be involved in politics must register as a foreign agent under controversial legislation signed by Putin in 2012.
Protesters at the central Moscow rally included scientists and intellectuals as well as opposition activist Aleksei Navalny.
Many held signs with slogans such as "Nobel laureates are foreign agents" and "Putin cannot solve problems, he is the problem."
Dynasty head Dmitry Zimin, 82, whose fortune funds the foundation, has threatened to close it because it was placed on the foreign agents' list.
Astrophysicist Boris Shtern told rally participants that: "Alas, science is slowly dying. The massive advance of ignorance is being supported by the media and authorities."
Based on reporting by AFP and AP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website