Statement on the Designation of Our Association as an “Undesirable” Organization
On 17 April 2026, it was reported that Russian authorities had designated our association, Future Russia – Switzerland, as an “undesirable organisation”, adding it to the official register (Order of the Ministry of Justice No. 486-r of 14 April 2026; decision of the Prosecutor General’s Office dated 31 March 2026).
This is a politically motivated act of repression aimed at severing ties of peaceful civic solidarity, restricting support for political prisoners, and silencing those who oppose war, repression, and human rights violations in Russia.
Such actions target not only peaceful organisations, but also the very principles of civic responsibility and mutual support — foundations without which a free and open society cannot exist.
Our association is registered and operates in Switzerland in full compliance with the law. We do not carry out any activities in the Russian Federation.
We are aware that this decision creates serious legal risks for our supporters who travel to Russia.
In particular, financial transfers, membership fees, or any other form of interaction with the association after its designation as “undesirable” may be treated by Russian authorities as grounds for liability - administrative (Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offences) or, in some cases, criminal (Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code). At the same time, there is no established enforcement practice in comparable situations, and it remains unclear how these provisions may be interpreted and applied in practice. We nevertheless consider it essential to warn about these potential risks in advance.
We therefore strongly urge anyone currently in Russia, or planning to travel there, to refrain from any interaction with our association and to take these legal risks into account.
We will continue our work: supporting Russian political prisoners and their families through letter-writing initiatives, solidarity campaigns, and fundraising; organising public and cultural events; raising awareness of repression, corruption, and the war; and advocating for political and public responses — in Switzerland and internationally.
Attempts to isolate Russian civil society do not negate the universality of human rights.
Solidarity cannot be outlawed.
We will not back down. We will continue our work.