Golos-Ural was engaged in the independent public observation of the elections. Golos-Ural included various public associations, both independent legal entities and public initiatives. For example, in the Chelyabinsk region, for a long time activities were carried out within the framework of a regional non-profit partnership, which united about 30 diverse public organizations under the motto 'Honesty! Openness! Justice! '. The partnership included various members, from an association of municipalities and an independent trade union to an organization of parents of children with disabilities. They all wanted only fair elections, open government (open budgets), and a fair judicial system.

In 2007, the informal partnership, which operated in the region without forming a legal entity, grew into the Interregional Public Foundation for Assistance to the Development of Civil Society 'GOLOS-Ural'.

Name
Interregional Public Foundation for Civil Society Development 'GOLOS-Ural'
Field of activity
Protection of electoral rights
Status
«Foreign agent» (NGO)
Reason for recognition
'Golos-Ural' was included in the register of 'foreign agents' following an unscheduled documentary inspection by the Ministry of Justice of the Chelyabinsk Region. According to the 'Izvestia' newspaper, the foreign funding was provided by the American organisation NDI (National Democratic Institute for International Relations), which is recognised as undesirable in the Russian Federation.
Year of recognition
2015
Status description
Since 2012, such status can be obtained by non-profit organizations registered in Russia, and from 2020 unregistered public associations, which, according to the Russian government: a) receive foreign funding, b) participate in «political activity», which is understood as any public activity. Who recognizes: Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Responsibilities: NPO-"foreign agents» are required to provide a report on their activities, audit reports, and data on the organization’s personnel. In addition, they must submit to the Ministry of Justice a report on the goals and actual spending of funds, including those received from foreign sources. Unregistered public associations must provide the Ministry of Justice with a notice on receipt of funds from foreign sources and participation in political activities, as well as with a report on the funds received, purposes, and their actual use. Administrative liability: mentioning an NGO-"foreign agent» and an unregistered public association-foreign agent on the Internet or in the media — a fine of up to 50 thousand rubles. (Article 13.15 of the Code of Administrative Offences). failure to submit or untimely submission of reports — a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles for an NCO-foreign agent (Article 19.7.5-2 of the Code of Administrative Offences) and up to 30 thousand rubles for unregistered public associations (Article 19.7.5-3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). if the association produces or distributes materials without specifying that such association is a foreign agent — a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles, for unregistered public associations (Article 19.7.5-3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) and up to 500 thousand rubles for an NGO-foreign agent (Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences). if an employee, but not an association as a whole, distributes any materials and does not indicate that he/she is an employee of an NGO-foreign agent — a fine of five thousand rubles and for unregistered public associations (Article 19.7.5-3 of the Code of Administrative Offences), and for NGOs (Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences). if the organization operates but does not enter itself in the register of foreign agents — a fine of up to 500 thousand rubles for non-profit organizations (Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences). if the activities of the organization are suspended, but it continues to function — a fine for an unregistered public association for organizers up to two thousand rubles, and for participants — up to one thousand rubles, for an NGO-foreign agent — a fine of up to 50 thousand rubles for organizers and up to five thousand rubles for participants (Article 20.28 of the Code of Administrative Offences). Criminal liability: malicious evasion of reporting by registered NGOs and unregistered public associations recognized as foreign agents — a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles or imprisonment for up to two years (par.1 article 330.1 of the Criminal Code).