The Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), founded by Hollywood actor George Clooney, has been declared an "undesirable" organization, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office said on Aug. 19.
According to the CFJ website, the foundation provides "free legal support to victims of abuses of power. Each of our programs aims to fight systemic injustice against vulnerable communities: journalists, women and girls, democracy defenders, LGBTQ+ persons, and minorities."
The Prosecutor General's Office claimed that the foundation "carries out work aimed at discrediting Russia on a Hollywood scale."
"It actively supports pseudo-patriots who have left the country, members of banned extremist associations, and terrorist organizations." The Prosecutor General's Office did not provide any evidence to back up its claims.
In July, the CFJ joined other NGOs to file a "landmark complaint" to the U.N. Human Rights Committee over a Russian missile attack against Vinnytsia in 2022, which killed 29 people and injured hundreds more.
The law on "undesirable" organizations has existed since 2015 and has been used to target perceived opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime, including NGOs, independent media outlets, human rights groups, and others.
"Undesirable" organizations are banned from operating in Russia, and it is illegal for individuals or other media outlets to share their content. Leaders of such organizations can face up to six years in prison, and members could receive prison sentences of up to four years.
Martin Fornusek
