The Kremlin blacklisted the antigovernment political organization Open Russia on Wednesday ahead of anticipated rallies to protest the reelection of President Vladimir Putin this weekend.
The group, founded by prominent Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was labeled "undesirable" by Russia's prosecutor general, effectively banning it from operating in Russia, USA Today reported.
The Kremlin banned two additional organizations linked to Khodorkovsky under a law that expels foreign groups accused of "political meddling." The Institute of Modern Russia is based in the United States while the other, Open Russia Civic Movement, is headquartered in Britain.
The prosecutor general accused the three groups of carrying out programs "aimed at discrediting the upcoming election results."
"Their activities are aimed at inspiring protests and destabilizing the internal political situation, which threatens the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation and the security of the state," the prosecutor general said in a statement.
The Russian Justice Ministry's "undesirables" list bars organizations from releasing publications in Moscow and freezes assets in the country.
Khodorkovsky reacted to the order with defiance, writing on Twitter that he was "proud" his organization had "touched a nerve" within the Russian government. Open Russia said it would carry on with its plan to mobilize anti-Kremlin marches across the nation on Saturday.
Khodorkovsky, former owner of oil giant Yukos, was thrown into jail on fraud charges in 2003 before Putin pardoned him in 2013. Khodorkovsky has maintained the Kremlin pursued the charges in retribution for his decision to fund political opponents of Putin.