Russia’s Levada Centre polling group named foreign agent

Russia's leading independent polling agency, the Levada Center, was labelled a 'foreign agent' by the Justice ministry in September 2016 and stated it had stoped working. Its director, Lev Gudkov, said the move, which came two weeks before parliamentary elections, amounted to 'political censorship'.

The Levada Centre surveys political opinion among Russian people. Laws require all NGOs receiving any overseas funding to register as foreign agents and so face restrictions.

• Primary Source

EU: EEAS: Statement, 06.09.16: Inclusion of the Levada Centre in the 'Foreign Agents Registry' of the Russian Federation http://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/9497/-inclusion-of-the-levada-centre-in-the-foreign-agents-registry-of-the-russian-federation_en

EurActiv, 07.09.16: EU urges Russia to reconsider listing of Levada pollster as ‘foreign agent’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-urges-russia-to-reconsider-listing-of-levada-pollster-as-foreign-agent/

ESO: Background information: EU denounces Russian ‘treason’ law http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-denounces-russian-treason-law/

EUObserver, 07.09.16: EU condemns Russian attack on last real pollster https://euobserver.com/foreign/134946

The Guardian, 06.09.16: Russia's leading independent pollster declared 'foreign agent' https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/06/united-russia-levada-centre-pollster-foreign-agent

Sputnik International, 06.09.16: Russia's Levada Pollster Suspends Operations Following Foreign Agent Branding http://sptnkne.ws/cePK

The New York Times, 05.09.16: Russian Polling Center Is Declared a ‘Foreign Agent’ Before Elections http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/world/europe/russia-vladimir-v-putin-levada-center-polling-duma-united-russia.html

Deutsche Welle, 06.09.16: Russian research institute under threat http://dw.com/p/1Jwhz

ESO: Background information: Russian legislative election, 18 September 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/russian-legislative-election-18-september-2016/

Wikipedia: Levada Center https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levada_Center

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