The Kremlin plans to set up a nongovernmental organization in the United States to monitor the fate of Russian children adopted by American families, a news report said Thursday.
Existing arrangements for such monitoring laid out in a bilateral treaty that came into force in November will be torn up by Russia's controversial ban on adoptions to the U.S..
Officials have repeatedly claimed that Russian children in the U.S. are subject to abuse that is inadequately punished by U.S. courts.
The Russian Embassy in Washington said that such an NGO would primarily collect information about the conditions in which Russian children in the U.S. are living, Kommersant reported.
The idea has already found support in Moscow and Washington, although there are as yet no details about how it will be financed.
Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said Thursday that an NGO was one of the mechanisms for monitoring Russian children during the negotiations leading up to the doomed U.S.-Russia adoption agreement set to expire at the end of 2013.
"The more councils, organizations, committees and other structures that are concerned with control over the observance of children's rights in the U.S., the better," Astakhov said in comments carried by Interfax.
The so-called "Dima Yakovlev law" banning adoptions to the U.S. was passed by the Duma in December and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
