Russia declared Stanford University an “undesirable” organization, thus becoming the latest in a series of foreign entities banned in the country.
The country’s Ministry of Justice included the prestigious Californian institution in the registry of organizations whose activities are considered undesirable, the Interfax news agency reported on Friday. The measure came after a decision by the Attorney General’s Office, according to the agency, without giving further details.
Russia has declared more than 200 foreign organizations “undesirable,” including Yale University, Amnesty International and the British Council.as part of a broad crackdown on influence and ideas from abroad since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
The Kremlin has also used its “foreign agents” law to stifle criticism, requiring more than 1,000 organizations and individuals to meet strict reporting requirements and label their work with the legend “foreign agent.”
In July, Yale was declared an “undesirable institution,” with the Attorney General’s Office stating that the Connecticut institution’s activities were aimed at “violating the territorial integrity of Russia.”. The University California, Berkeley, and Tufts University, along with its Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, were added to the list earlier this year, according to state news service Tass.
