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Summary
The Foreign Influence Registration Laws and Civil Society report by ICNL analyses the increasing adoption of foreign influence registration laws, often framed as transparency measures but frequently used to restrict, stigmatise, and criminalise civil society organisations. It outlines key features of such laws, their implications for civic space, and strategies to counteract their overreach.
Why read
This report is essential for understanding how these laws are used globally to constrain nonprofit activities and the innovative legal and advocacy strategies available to protect civil society's role in democratic governance.
Description
The report investigates foreign influence registration laws, exploring their evolution, mechanisms, and applications in various contexts such as Russia, Nicaragua, and Hungary. While some countries aim to mitigate undue foreign influence, the laws are often overbroad, targeting organisations receiving foreign funding or engaging in public policy advocacy. This creates challenges for nonprofits by imposing burdensome requirements and labelling them as foreign agents. Through a detailed typology, the report contrasts restrictive and proportional implementations and offers recommendations for legal responses, stakeholder mobilisation, and advocacy campaigns to uphold international human rights standards.