On Thursday, Russia’s Supreme Court declared the global branch of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) a “terrorist organization,” banning the activities of the New York-based nonprofit founded by the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny to support his activism in Russia. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, which petitioned for the designation, alleged that the foundation’s work is aimed at “promoting, justifying, and supporting terrorism,” and claimed that “crimes of an extremist and terrorist nature are organized, prepared, and carried out in its interests.” Following the ruling, Navalny’s allies issued a statement in response. Below, Meduza is publishing it in full.

What this means for the FBK’s supporters

• Russia’s ‘terrorists and extremists’ list is now sweeping up journalists and academics. Soon, Navalny donors could face life in prison.

Today, Putin’s Supreme Court declared the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF) a “terrorist organization.” This new label adds to the long list of official statuses already imposed on us — the Russian authorities have pinned them all on us, one after another: “foreign agents,” “undesirable organization,” “extremist organization.”

All these designations are first “tested” on ACF — we receive them first, and then they become the norm for everyone who disagrees with Putin’s policies. There is no doubt that soon others will be branded “terrorists” too — independent media, human rights projects, local initiatives.

This is a political tactic of the Russian authorities: to declare anyone who stands in the way of their theft and endless war as enemies of the state.

We are not terrorists and everyone knows it. We know it, our supporters know it, and even those who sign these rulings know it perfectly well.

It is Vladimir Putin and his cronies that are terrorists — the people who started the war, kill civilians and political opponents, and imprison people for dissent.

Why do they need this ruling? To intimidate you. To make you stop reading and watching our channels, to make you afraid to share our materials, to leave you without access to truth in difficult times. And to make you so frightened that you stop supporting us — both morally and financially.

Don’t let them succeed. For all legal or security questions related to supporting ACF, please contact our lawyers at [email protected].

We will continue our work. Investigating, telling the truth, helping political prisoners, and doing everything in our power to make Russia a free country.