MOSCOW, December 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Federal Registration Service has registered 189 representations and branches of foreign non-governmental organizations, an official with the service said Friday.
An April law imposed more stringent and complicated financial reporting and registration requirements for NGOs, fueling criticism from rights organizations and Western governments that Russia is backsliding on civil rights and freedoms.
Galina Fokina, the service's acting head of the department on political parties and registration of public, religious and other organizations, said the service currently has 12 packages of documents from foreign NGOs pending registration.
Earlier in October, the Russian Justice Ministry said that 108 foreign non-governmental organizations operating in Russia managed to re-register with the country's authorities by the October 18 deadline, representing about half of the total.
