DGO Declared an ‘Undesirable Organisation’ in the Russian Federation

The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation has declared the German Association for East European Studies (DGO) an undesirable organisation.

Following individual research institutions and NGOs, the Russian authorities are now targeting the largest network for East European studies in German-speaking countries in order to put a stop to its activities in Russia and cooperation with Russian citizens. Other organisations have also been branded ‘undesirable’ in this latest pronouncement. This is a clear attack on academic freedom, where the Russian authorities have made their position clear: research and the dissemination of knowledge about Eastern Europe are undesirable in Russia if they do not correspond to the Russian government’s narratives.

ZOiS itself was declared an undesirable institution in Russia in October 2023. We are therefore familiar with the possible implications and stand in solidarity with our close cooperation partner DGO. We must not allow Russia to use such absurd laws to curtail academic freedom in other countries, hinder research and spread fear among researchers with Russian citizenship.