Cases / Law, regulation and treaties · Russia · 2023
Russia declares WWF and Greenpeace 'undesirable' organisations
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
In 2023 Russia's Prosecutor General declared WWF and Greenpeace 'undesirable' organisations, citing WWF's 'obstruction' of Arctic industrial development. Greenpeace was closed in Russia, and WWF-Russia cut ties with WWF International.
What?
Russia's Prosecutor General declared WWF and Greenpeace 'undesirable' organisations in 2023. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
Where?
Russia.
When?
Greenpeace declared 19 May 2023; WWF declared 21 June 2023.
Who?
Gained
None on recordLost
- Greenpeace — Declared undesirable and closed in Russia Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
- WWF-Russia — Cut ties with WWF International
Harmed
None on recordWhy?
Grounds cited for WWF: 'obstruction' of Arctic industrial development and threats to the economic sector.
How?
Designation as an undesirable organisation, under which taking part in its activities carries up to four years in prison. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
WWF was designated a 'foreign agent' in March 2023 and then 'undesirable' by the Prosecutor General on 21 June 2023.
The Prosecutor General cited WWF's 'obstruction' of Arctic industrial development and threats to the economic sector as grounds.
Greenpeace was declared 'undesirable' on 19 May 2023 and closed in Russia; taking part in an undesirable organisation's activities carries up to four years in prison.
WWF-Russia cut ties with WWF International.
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: LIFE was listed as a targeted organisation.
- None on record No individual prosecution under the undesirable-organisation rules is reported in the sources reviewed.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not say what WWF-Russia activity continued after the designation.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts— Press and investigations✓ Communities and civil society— Researchers
Communities and civil society
- Russia: Greenpeace to shut down after Prosecutor General declared it undesirable organisationBusiness & Human Rights Resource Centre ·
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