Image Credit: Britannica
Russia has declared The Clooney Foundation for Justice, established by US actor George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, as an “undesirable” organization, effectively prohibiting its operations within the country. The announcement was made on Monday by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, which accused the foundation of discrediting Moscow through its activities.
According to the statement, the foundation’s work allegedly supports “false patriots” and members of banned extremist groups. The office further claimed that the organization, under the guise of promoting humanitarian ideas, advances initiatives aimed at prosecuting Russia’s top leadership and criticizes Russian legislation on foreign agents and NGOs. The statement, titled “The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office Appreciates Hollywood Activists’ Acting Talent,” underscored that the foundation operates on what it described as a “Hollywood scale” to undermine the Russian government.
Since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has intensified its crackdown on dissent, reaching levels of repression not seen since the Soviet era.
The “undesirable” label has been applied to dozens of foreign entities since the law was introduced in 2015, effectively outlawing them from the country.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. This development adds to the growing list of international organizations facing restrictions under Russia’s tightening control over civil society.