WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing on anti-NGO laws and other tools of democratic repression. Witnesses included Douglas Rutzen, president and CEO of the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law, Yaqui Wang, research director at Freedom House, and Eka Gigauri, executive director at Transparency International Georgia.
Ranking Member Risch gave the following remarks:
“Mr. Chairman, thank you so much for that and certainly your work in this field is to be recognized and appreciated. First and foremost, I think we should all agree and recognize this is not a partisan issue. This is a bipartisan issue, it’s an American issue, and something we all need to work on together.
“Unfortunately, it’s a fact that autocrats and their governments will do whatever it takes to stay in power. They survive, and in some cases reemerge, using creative methods to repress their political opposition and silence human rights advocates and others who seek to shine a light on their actions.
“The tool of choice for authoritarians these days is anti-nongovernmental organization laws, also referred to as foreign agent laws. These ‘laws’ claim to stop foreign influence, but in reality are used to close the space for civil society and opposition. Autocrats fear the loss of control, and this ensures opposing ideas are neither seen nor heard.
“It should not surprise anyone that the model anti-NGO law was first designed by Vladimir Putin. Russia’s anti-NGO law has been used as a model since then across the world, in repressive places.
“In nations like Azerbaijan and Belarus, dictators have used lawfare to consolidate control and close the space that once existed for small amounts of free speech. ‘Laws’ that criminalize government watchdogs and champions of democracy are used to crush dissent and shield corrupt officials from scrutiny.
“In places like Sudan and Syria, both formal and informal restrictions are used by malign actors to control what, when, where, and to whom life-saving aid can be delivered. This weaponization of restrictions against legitimate NGOs undermines U.S. values and interests.
“I am particularly concerned about our friends in Georgia. Despite clear statements from the EU that passing laws to restrict NGO activities will halt EU membership, Georgia’s government has persisted. I am glad the U.S. has undertaken a review of our policies toward Georgia and am supportive of the current pause in assistance.
“Senator Shaheen and I were pleased to go to Georgia in 2012 as we watched the first real free and fair election. I think both of use were very pleased with what happened and the way it was initially received. Since then, our confidence and our view – at least mine – has been disappointment. That’s probably an understatement given the backwards movement from what the Georgian people had been blessed with, and that was freedom from the Russian bear. We hope as we go forward, things turn around in Georgia.
“Hungary has also made several attempts to advance anti-NGO legislation and Slovakia has an active proposal that would require NGOs that receive funding from abroad to label themselves ‘organisations with foreign support.’ The EU has warned that it will take legal action and launch infringement procedures against Slovakia if it does so.
“In China, it’s no surprise the government views foreign NGOs as threats to its national security. Its anti-NGO law drastically reduced the ability of both foreign and domestic civil society actors to work in China.
“China is locking up human rights advocates and torturing them, and it is pursuing them abroad through transnational repression. We must remember these victims and advocate for them – I am submitting a list of their names for the record.
“Beijing’s actions do not occur in a vacuum. When it persecutes human rights advocates, other authoritarian actors take note. In 2020, Beijing unilaterally imposed a National Security Law on Hong Kong, ending the city’s fragile autonomy. Since then, the Hong Kong government has weaponized this law and other colonial-era laws to criminalize political dissent.
“I think we are all aware of the terrible case of Jimmy Lai. His trial has been delayed repeatedly, and is a mockery of the rule of law. Hundreds of other political prisoners have been jailed alongside Mr. Lai in Hong Kong, and the government has even pursued dissidents who fled by issuing extraterritorial arrest warrants.
“In Africa, many governments use anti-NGO laws to restrict civil society activities, limit funding from international donors, and control the operations of local and international partners, including USAID. This is happening in countries like Tunisia, Tanzania, Sudan, Chad, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda.
“These examples I’ve cited are just a few of the many that occur all around the world. This problem is only growing as technology changes and those in power find new ways to hold on to control.
“The United States must do more to combat this trend. I look forward to hearing from the witnesses what they are doing, and what more can be done on this important issue. With that, I yield back.
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.
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