In the updated list of «undesirable» organizations on the Ministry of Justice's website, the German Radio Echo GmbH, associated with the online radio and internet publication «Echo», and the «Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies» from the USA appeared.
The «Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies» was founded in 1948 — the organization is engaged in the study of politics, history, and culture of the countries of the former USSR and Eastern Europe. Major scientific conferences are held with its support. The headquarters of the association is located in Pittsburgh.
Under the brand «Echo», the radio station «Echo of Moscow», which was liquidated in March 2022 after pressure from the authorities, was relaunched. The head of «Echo» became the journalist Maxim Kurnikov.
The registry of «undesirable» organizations has been maintained in Russia since 2015. Foreign or international organizations that, in the opinion of the authorities, pose a «threat to the foundations of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation, the country's defense capability, or state security» can be recognized as «undesirable». Such organizations are prohibited from conducting activities on the territory of the country.
Participation in the activities of an «undesirable organization» is punishable by administrative liability in the form of a fine from 5,000 to 15,000 rubles. In case of repeated violation within a year after the first fine for participation in the activities of an «undesirable» organization, criminal liability arises, starting with fines from 300,000 to 500,000 rubles to imprisonment from one year to four years. Moreover, this also applies to participation in activities outside of Russia.