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Multiple news outlets have reported that Russia has passed a law allowing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to be banned if undesirable.
According to the story on Euronews:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill which will allow foreign organisations to be banned from operating in the country.
The new law will give authorities the right to prosecute non-governmental organisations if considered "undesirable" or a threat to national security.
From the CNN story:
Tanya Lokshina, Russia program director for Human Rights Watch, said the new law had "the potential to severely damage our work in Russia," and was a cause for grave concern for all international groups operating in the country.
Nevertheless, she said she did not believe the law was aimed at international organizations like hers. Instead, she said, it was aimed at Russians who might cooperate with, or support, international organizations.
NGOs are not always beloved around the world and have been accused of doing more harm than good. What is the correct role for NGOs in the world?
(Score: 1) by Refugee from beyond on Tuesday May 26 2015, @08:33PM
Elections popularity also depends on how you count voters. Especially if you are in power already.
Instantly better soylentnews: replace background on article and comment titles with #973131.
(Score: 1) by tftp on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:29PM
Sure. But it's awfully hard to make 80% out of 20%. Besides, polls are conducted all the time [fom.ru]. They show the same picture.
(Score: 1) by Refugee from beyond on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:09PM
I've heard we are pretty good at that*. Not sure about actual numbers, though. And polls, “ФОМнибус“ is, apparently, that organization whose primary customer(?) is presidential administration, so I'm not sure you should give them much credit.
* … considering nobody else is going to have any chance to disprove a thing. Our courts are just and fairest of them all, after all.
Instantly better soylentnews: replace background on article and comment titles with #973131.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:45AM
Sure. But it's awfully hard to make 80% out of 20%.
You just did by putting the two in the same sentence.
Besides, polls are conducted all the time.
If you can throw an election, you can throw a poll with even less difficulty.
(Score: 1) by tftp on Wednesday May 27 2015, @02:15AM
If you can throw an election, you can throw a poll with even less difficulty.
There are many polling companies [narod.ru]. But, of course, it is also A-OK to think that they all conspired to twist the true results of their research :-) Problems begin only when politicians start developing foreign policy that is based on their personal delusions.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday May 27 2015, @02:42AM
There are many polling companies. But, of course, it is also A-OK to think that they all conspired to twist the true results of their research :-)
They don't have conspire. Only Putin has to conspire. And need I point out that he has the power to do that?
(Score: 1) by tftp on Wednesday May 27 2015, @03:05AM
They don't have conspire. Only Putin has to conspire. And need I point out that he has the power to do that?
No, lacking magic he cannot do that. Nobody can convince the whole country that black is white and white is black. Too much information is transferred horizontally, between peers. Support of Putin's policies is real. And besides, why not? He is a reasonably good manager. Why would the citizens want him removed? Was he forced to make some unpopular decision while I wasn't watching? I don't recall anything significant. Right now he is arranging the domestic manufacturing boom [lenta.ru], thanks to EU that decided to remove their competing presence from Russian markets. (Putin wouldn't be able to do that because of WTO rules; but if the competitor voluntarily chooses to not compete, there is no foul.)
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday May 27 2015, @03:53AM
No, lacking magic he cannot do that. Nobody can convince the whole country that black is white and white is black.
The Soviets didn't have any trouble doing that. And Putin is KGB.
(Score: 1) by tftp on Wednesday May 27 2015, @04:11AM
The Soviets didn't have any trouble doing that. And Putin is KGB.
KGB was never in the propaganda business. But that doesn't really matter because the statement
The Soviets didn't have any trouble doing that
is not correct. As matter of fact, the complete failure of Communist propaganda was one of key reasons for decay of USSR and its consequent disintegration. People lost hope in Communism; comparison with Capitalism was not in favor of the former. CPSU could not fight that, and people refused to fight for Communism. They instead chose to fight for capitalism when Gorbachev gave them the chance.