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The '''International Foundation for Civil Liberties''' ({{Lang-ru|Международный фонд гражданских свобод}}) is a [[non-profit organization]] established by the Russian [[Business oligarch|tycoon]] [[Boris Berezovsky (businessman)|Boris Berezovsky]] in November 2000.<ref>{{cite web
The '''International Foundation for Civil Liberties''' ({{Lang-ru|Международный фонд гражданских свобод}}) is a [[non-profit organization]] established by the Russian [[Business oligarch|tycoon]] [[Boris Berezovsky (businessman)|Boris Berezovsky]] in November 2000.<Ref name=monster>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/dec/21/russia.ameliagentleman "Oligarch hits out at his Kremlin monster"] [[The Guardian]] 21 December 2000</ref><ref>{{Cite web
⚫
|url=http://www.kolokol.org/
⚫
|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060825/http://www.kolokol.org/
⚫
|archivedate=2006-08-25
⚫
|title=Интернет-журнал Фонда гражданских свобод
⚫
|trans_title=An internet magazine of Foundation for civil liberties}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://kolokol.ru/
|title=Права человека: спецпроект Граней.Ру
|trans_title=Human rights: a special project by Grani.Ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|title=Boris Berezovsky
|title=Boris Berezovsky
|date=19.09.2003
|date=19.09.2003
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|publisher=Oxford University Russian Society
|publisher=Oxford University Russian Society
|date=2008 - 2011
|date=2008 - 2011
|url=http://www.russianoxford.org/events/famous/}}</ref>
|url=http://www.russianoxford.org/events/famous/}}</ref> Critics see it as an anti-Russian propaganda organization.


The foundation is headquartered in [[New York City]] and headed by microbiologist, author and activist [[Alexander Goldfarb (Russian Microbiologist and Activist)|Alexander Goldfarb]].<ref name="players" /><ref name="wpost" /><ref>{{Cite journal
The foundation is headquartered in [[New York City]] and headed by microbiologist, author and activist [[Alexander Goldfarb (Russian Microbiologist and Activist)|Alexander Goldfarb]].<ref name="players" /><ref name="wpost" /><ref>{{Cite journal
Line 44: Line 36:
|laysummary=http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416551654/
|laysummary=http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416551654/
|laydate=2008-12-28
|laydate=2008-12-28
}}</ref><ref>[http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/berezovsky-donates-3m-to-museum/257025.html "Berezovsky Donates $3M to Museum"] [[The Moscow Times]] 01 December 2000</ref> By May 2001, 160 more grants have been awarded by the foundation to [[NGO]]s engaged in human rights protection across Russia.<ref >[http://sptimesrussia.com/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=4112 "BEREZOVSKY MAKING MOVES BACK TO POLITICAL SCENE"] [[The St. Petersburg Times]] May 15, 2001</Ref>.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=EPP3ti4hysUC&pg=PA549 Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia] Europa Publications Limited , Taylor & Francis, 2002 page 549 </ref>
}}</ref><ref>[http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/berezovsky-donates-3m-to-museum/257025.html "Berezovsky Donates $3M to Museum"] [[The Moscow Times]] 01 December 2000</ref> By May 2001, 160 more grants have been awarded by the foundation to [[NGO]]s engaged in human rights protection across Russia.<ref >[http://sptimesrussia.com/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=4112 "BEREZOVSKY MAKING MOVES BACK TO POLITICAL SCENE"] [[The St. Petersburg Times]] May 15, 2001</Ref>.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=EPP3ti4hysUC&pg=PA549 Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia] Europa Publications Limited , Taylor & Francis, 2002 page 549 </ref> including [[Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia|Committees of Soldiers' Mothers]], a major [[human rights]] network.<Ref>[http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/7016-12.cfm "Russian Soldiers' Mothers Work Together"] [[Associated Press]] January 14, 2003</Ref><Ref>[http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=2034 "SOLDIERS' MOTHERS TO FORM PARTY"] [[The St. Petersburg Times]], November 9, 2004</Ref> Among other IFCL projects in Russia, observers noted support of persecuted journalists, legal aid for soldiers persecuted by officers in the Russian army, and funding lawyers to defend child offenders, to save them from being locked up for years in TB-ridden prisons.<Ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/feb/19/russia.weekend7 "The oligarch's revenge"] [[The Guardian]] 19 February 2005</Ref>


As part of its campaign to highlight violations of human rights in [[Chechnya]] IFCL sponsored screening of documentaries on the [[Chechen War]] around the world. <Ref>[[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-10-05/news/0310040004_1_chechnya-russian-information-blockade "Disillusionment over Chechnya. Journalists say their revelations of brutality in Chechnya have accomplished little"]] The Baltimore Sun October 05, 2003</Ref> The foundation took out full-page advertisements in international press criticising the record of president [[Vladimir Putin]].<Ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3132082.stm "Russian critics blast Putin's record"] [[BBC News]] 23 September, 2003</Ref>
As part of its campaign to highlight violations of human rights in [[Chechnya]], jointly with [[Amnesty International]] and the [[International Helsinki Federation]], IFCL sponsored screening of documentaries on the [[Chechen War]] around the world. <Ref>[[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-10-05/news/0310040004_1_chechnya-russian-information-blockade "Disillusionment over Chechnya. Journalists say their revelations of brutality in Chechnya have accomplished little"]] The Baltimore Sun October 05, 2003</Ref><Ref>http://www.hot.ee/f/festivaal/press_us.htm "Chechnya Film Festival"]]</ref> and took out full-page advertisements in international press criticising the human rights record of president [[Vladimir Putin]].<Ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3132082.stm "Russian critics blast Putin's record"] [[BBC News]] 23 September, 2003</Ref> IFCL promoted the film [[Assassination of Russia]], which accused the [[FSB]] security service of staging [[Moscow apartment bombings]], wich led to the [[Second Chechen war]].<Ref>[http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/6191/ "Baltic countries broadcast controversial film"] [[The Baltic Times]] Mar 28, 2002</ref>


On the eve of the 2006 meeting of [[G8]] Club of industrial nations in St. Petersburg, IFCL launched mocking advertisements depicting [[Vladimir Putin]] as [[Groucho Marx]].<Ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article1072745.ece "Groucho trips up the G8 spin doctors"] [[The Times]] July 13, 2006</Ref><Ref>[http://www.g8-censura.org/indexEN.htm G8 Forbidden Ads]</ref>
⚫
IFCL has been a major sponsor of transcribing the so-called [[Kuchma tapes]] - the recordings in the office of the Ukrainian president made by Major [[Mykola Melnychenko]].<Ref>[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=27717 "BEREZOVSKY HOPES TO SELL ORANGE REVOLUTION TO RUSSIA"] [[Jamestown Foundation]] Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 54March 17, 2005</Ref><Ref>[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=30204 "BEREZOVSKY THREATENS TO OPEN PANDORA'S BOX CREATED BY FUGITIVE UKRAINIAN BODYGUARD"] [[Jamestown Foundation]] Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 65 April 3, 2005</Ref>

IFCL paid legal expenses of Chechen separatist leader [[Akhmed Zakayev]] in his successful bid against extradition request from Russia <Ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2395589.stm "Tycoon to fund Chechen extradition fight" [[BBC News]]3 November, 2002</Ref>

⚫
IFCL has been a major sponsor of transcribing the so-called [[Kuchma tapes]] - the recordings in the office of the Ukrainian president made by Major [[Mykola Melnychenko]]<Ref>[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=27717 "BEREZOVSKY HOPES TO SELL ORANGE REVOLUTION TO RUSSIA"] [[Jamestown Foundation]] Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 54March 17, 2005</Ref><Ref>[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=30204 "BEREZOVSKY THREATENS TO OPEN PANDORA'S BOX CREATED BY FUGITIVE UKRAINIAN BODYGUARD"] [[Jamestown Foundation]] Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 65 April 3, 2005</Ref> and contributed at least $21 million to Ukrainian opposition in support of the [[Orange Revolution]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Sakwa|first=Richard|title=Putin: Russia's choice|year=2007|publisher=Routledge|pages=146|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wOrpO2ou7SgC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=orange+revolution+foundation+for+civil+liberties+21+million&source=bl&ots=KNpfqJNBtO&sig=FB3OtHFUBMNDnztk0yAbDglS6DQ&hl=en&ei=_cB7Ts63Ksib0QXN2bmjAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>
IFCL supported [[Alexander Litvinenko]] through a resettlement grant that paid for rent of his two-bedroom apartment in UK.<ref name="death"/> The director Alex Goldfarb who had arranged Litvinenko’s defection from Moscow in 2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poisonous Espionage |author=Eric Walberg |date=October 30th, 2007 |url=http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/10/poisonous-espionage/ }}</ref> became prominent as a spokesman for Litvinenko after his poisoning and death.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Isotope that Killed Litvinenko Sold Freely in U.S. |author=Sergey Chabanenko |journal=[[Kommersant]] |date=Nov. 30, 2006 |url=http://www.kommersant.com/p726072/Polonium-210/ }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Enemies of Putin gather for a burial in exile |author=Jonathan Brown |journal=[[The Independent]] |date=8 December 2006 |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/enemies-of-putin-gather-for-a-burial-in-exile-427548.html }}</ref>
IFCL supported [[Alexander Litvinenko]] through a resettlement grant that paid for rent of his two-bedroom apartment in UK.<ref name="death"/> The director Alex Goldfarb who had arranged Litvinenko’s defection from Moscow in 2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poisonous Espionage |author=Eric Walberg |date=October 30th, 2007 |url=http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/10/poisonous-espionage/ }}</ref> became prominent as a spokesman for Litvinenko after his poisoning and death.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Isotope that Killed Litvinenko Sold Freely in U.S. |author=Sergey Chabanenko |journal=[[Kommersant]] |date=Nov. 30, 2006 |url=http://www.kommersant.com/p726072/Polonium-210/ }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Enemies of Putin gather for a burial in exile |author=Jonathan Brown |journal=[[The Independent]] |date=8 December 2006 |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/enemies-of-putin-gather-for-a-burial-in-exile-427548.html }}</ref>

After the killing of [[Alexander Litvinenko]] IFCL seems to have follded down its public activities. The foundation's web site has not been updated since 2006 <ref>{{cite web
⚫
|url=http://www.kolokol.org/
⚫
|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060825/http://www.kolokol.org/
⚫
|archivedate=2006-08-25
⚫
|title=Интернет-журнал Фонда гражданских свобод
⚫
|trans_title=An internet magazine of Foundation for civil liberties}}</ref>


==Criticism==
==Criticism==
Amelia Gentleman quoted acting director of [[Memorial (society)|Memorial society]] Elena Zhimkova concerning the possibility of abusing the fund by its director to resolve "personal issues".<ref>{{Cite journal
Amelia Gentleman quoted acting director of [[Memorial (society)|Memorial society]] Elena Zhimkova concerning the possibility of abusing the fund by its director to resolve "personal issues".<ref name=monster />
|title=Oligarch hits out at his Kremlin monster
|author=Amelia Gentleman
|journal=[[The Guardian]]
|date=21 December 2000
|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/dec/21/russia.ameliagentleman}}</ref>


Konstantin Chaplin claimed that Berezovsky sponsored pickets in Voronezh against an organization that, according to Chaplin, protects interests of Russian people, protects historic rights of [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and has merits in state building.<ref>{{Cite journal
Konstantin Chaplin claimed that Berezovsky sponsored pickets in Voronezh against an organization that, according to Chaplin, protects interests of Russian people, protects historic rights of [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and has merits in state building.<ref>{{Cite journal

Revision as of 15:18, 23 September 2011

The International Foundation for Civil Liberties (Russian: Международный фонд гражданских свобод) is a non-profit organization established by the Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky in November 2000.[1][2][3] Critics see it as an anti-Russian propaganda organization.

The foundation is headquartered in New York City and headed by microbiologist, author and activist Alexander Goldfarb.[4][5][6][7] The stated mission of the foundation is "to provide financial, legal, informational and logistical resources to secure human rights and civil liberties in Russia." [8] The first grant of the foundation ($3 million) was given as an endowment for the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Civic Center in Moscow. The grant was accepted by Sakharov's widow Elena Bonner [9][10] By May 2001, 160 more grants have been awarded by the foundation to NGOs engaged in human rights protection across Russia.[11].[12] including Committees of Soldiers' Mothers, a major human rights network.[13][14] Among other IFCL projects in Russia, observers noted support of persecuted journalists, legal aid for soldiers persecuted by officers in the Russian army, and funding lawyers to defend child offenders, to save them from being locked up for years in TB-ridden prisons.[15]

As part of its campaign to highlight violations of human rights in Chechnya, jointly with Amnesty International and the International Helsinki Federation, IFCL sponsored screening of documentaries on the Chechen War around the world. [16][17] and took out full-page advertisements in international press criticising the human rights record of president Vladimir Putin.[18] IFCL promoted the film Assassination of Russia, which accused the FSB security service of staging Moscow apartment bombings, wich led to the Second Chechen war.[19]

On the eve of the 2006 meeting of G8 Club of industrial nations in St. Petersburg, IFCL launched mocking advertisements depicting Vladimir Putin as Groucho Marx.[20][21]

IFCL paid legal expenses of Chechen separatist leader Akhmed Zakayev in his successful bid against extradition request from Russia [22]

IFCL has been a major sponsor of transcribing the so-called Kuchma tapes - the recordings in the office of the Ukrainian president made by Major Mykola Melnychenko[23][24] and contributed at least $21 million to Ukrainian opposition in support of the Orange Revolution[25]

IFCL supported Alexander Litvinenko through a resettlement grant that paid for rent of his two-bedroom apartment in UK.[9] The director Alex Goldfarb who had arranged Litvinenko’s defection from Moscow in 2000[26] became prominent as a spokesman for Litvinenko after his poisoning and death.[27][28]

After the killing of Alexander Litvinenko IFCL seems to have follded down its public activities. The foundation's web site has not been updated since 2006 [29]

Criticism

Amelia Gentleman quoted acting director of Memorial society Elena Zhimkova concerning the possibility of abusing the fund by its director to resolve "personal issues".[1]

Konstantin Chaplin claimed that Berezovsky sponsored pickets in Voronezh against an organization that, according to Chaplin, protects interests of Russian people, protects historic rights of Eastern Orthodox Church and has merits in state building.[30][31]

An author by initials AIA referred to an article in Komsomolskaya Pravda implying that the Foundation undermines the state of Russia. The article quoted a Moscow State University professor Vladimir Dobrenkov and a political analyst Sergei Markov stating that civil liberty defenders can overthrow the Russian government and thus help Western powers gain access to Russia's raw materials.[32][33]

An article in The Guardian stated that unnamed critics accuse the foundation in "bankroll[ing] widespread opposition to Mr Putin". The article said that some activists refused grants from the foundation while others accepted them.[4]

Mary Jordan and Peter Finn in The Washington Post quote Sergei Markov saying that Berezovsky fought Kremlin to restore his political influence in Russia.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Oligarch hits out at his Kremlin monster" The Guardian 21 December 2000
  2. ^ "Boris Berezovsky". Rusnet Encyclopedia. Rusnet Partners. 19.09.2003. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Famous guest speakers". Oxford University Russian Society. 2008 - 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b "Litvinenko poisoning: the main players". The Guardian. 24 November 2006.
  5. ^ a b Mary Jordan and Peter Finn (December 9, 2006). "Russian Billionaire's Bitter Feud With Putin A Plot Line in Poisoning". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ Carina Waern (December 17, 2007). "Ryska dissidenter". Tidningen Kulturen.
  7. ^ Stephen Adams (19 Jul 2007). "Key Russian dissidents in London". The Telegraph.
  8. ^ "Фонд гражданских свобод" (in Russian). Perm Regional Human Rights Center.
  9. ^ a b Goldfarb, Alex. Death of a Dissident: The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and the Return of the KGB. New York: Free Press. ISBN 978-1416551652. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |laydate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |laysummary= ignored (help)
  10. ^ "Berezovsky Donates $3M to Museum" The Moscow Times 01 December 2000
  11. ^ "BEREZOVSKY MAKING MOVES BACK TO POLITICAL SCENE" The St. Petersburg Times May 15, 2001
  12. ^ Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia Europa Publications Limited , Taylor & Francis, 2002 page 549
  13. ^ "Russian Soldiers' Mothers Work Together" Associated Press January 14, 2003
  14. ^ "SOLDIERS' MOTHERS TO FORM PARTY" The St. Petersburg Times, November 9, 2004
  15. ^ "The oligarch's revenge" The Guardian 19 February 2005
  16. ^ ["Disillusionment over Chechnya. Journalists say their revelations of brutality in Chechnya have accomplished little"] The Baltimore Sun October 05, 2003
  17. ^ http://www.hot.ee/f/festivaal/press_us.htm "Chechnya Film Festival"]]
  18. ^ "Russian critics blast Putin's record" BBC News 23 September, 2003
  19. ^ "Baltic countries broadcast controversial film" The Baltic Times Mar 28, 2002
  20. ^ "Groucho trips up the G8 spin doctors" The Times July 13, 2006
  21. ^ G8 Forbidden Ads
  22. ^ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2395589.stm "Tycoon to fund Chechen extradition fight" BBC News3 November, 2002
  23. ^ "BEREZOVSKY HOPES TO SELL ORANGE REVOLUTION TO RUSSIA" Jamestown Foundation Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 54March 17, 2005
  24. ^ "BEREZOVSKY THREATENS TO OPEN PANDORA'S BOX CREATED BY FUGITIVE UKRAINIAN BODYGUARD" Jamestown Foundation Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 65 April 3, 2005
  25. ^ Sakwa, Richard (2007). Putin: Russia's choice. Routledge. p. 146.
  26. ^ Eric Walberg (October 30th, 2007). "Poisonous Espionage". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ Sergey Chabanenko (Nov. 30, 2006). "Isotope that Killed Litvinenko Sold Freely in U.S." Kommersant. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ Jonathan Brown (8 December 2006). "Enemies of Putin gather for a burial in exile". The Independent.
  29. ^ "Интернет-журнал Фонда гражданских свобод". {{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: timestamp (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Konstantin Chaplin (June 27, 2003). "Осторожно: правозащитник! – Зачем Березовский спонсировал Молодежное правозащитное движение". Берег (Bereg) (in Russian) (26). Voronezh. Archived from the original on 2003-06-27. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ "Воронеж: новый скандал вокруг газеты городской администрации" (in Russian). Regnum. 12.07.2004. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ AIA (December 28, 2006). "Western Secret Serviceman of Putin's Main Rival". Ocnus.Net.
  33. ^ Olga Vandysheva (December 21, 2004). "Мы - агенты влияния Запада!". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
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