The Rosa-Luxemburg Foundation (RLS), a German organization, has been designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office. This designation effectively prohibits the foundation from operating within Russia.
According to reports in the German newspaper “taz”, the General Prosecutor’s Office cited the RLS’s involvement in “programs and projects” intended to “incite protest sentiment, radicalize youth and discredit Russian state authorities” as justification for the decision.
Daniela Trochowski, Executive Director of the RLS, expressed regret over what she described as a further escalation by the Russian government. In a statement to “taz”, she affirmed the foundation’s continued support for the Russian opposition facing state repression.
The RLS is now the final affiliated German foundation to be declared “undesirable” following a series of similar designations targeting organizations linked to various German political parties. The Heinrich Böll Foundation (associated with the Green Party) was first classified as such in May 2022. Subsequent designations followed for the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (linked to the Social Democratic Party), the Friedrich-Naumann Foundation (affiliated with the Free Democratic Party), the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation (associated with the Christian Democratic Union), the Hanns-Seidel Foundation (linked to the Christian Social Union) and others.
Following earlier restrictions, all Moscow offices of the aforementioned foundations were compelled to close as of April 2022, after the Russian Justice Ministry revoked the legal basis for their continued operations in the country.
Jan van Aken, chairperson of the Left Party, commented that the actions demonstrate a fear of truth and criticism on the part of the Russian government. The German Foreign Office has condemned the designation, calling for its revocation and rejecting the classification of the Rosa-Luxemburg Foundation and other political foundations.