MOSCOW, April 20 (RAPSI) – The State Duma adopted amendments to the NGO foreign agents law aimed at clarifying the terms of political activity in the first reading on Wednesday, RIA Novosti reported.

The law adopted in November 2012 requires that all NGOs engaged in political activity and receiving foreign funding register as “foreign agents”.

The bill adjusting current legislation was submitted to Russia’s lower house of parliament by members of the State Duma Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State-Building in February.

Under the amendments, political activity is linked to such fields as state-building, securing Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, enforcement of law, order and security, national defense, foreign policy, political system integrity, social and economic and national development of the country, regulation of rights and freedoms of man and citizen.

NGOs which are engaged in organization and holding of public events, including meetings, manifestations, demonstrations, discussions and performances would be deemed to be involved in political activity.

Moreover, those NGOs which are involved in work aimed at achieving certain results during elections or referendum, vote monitoring practices, establishment of election commissions or support of political parties would also be put on the list of those organizations which are engaged in political activity.