"The intended targets of this new legislation on foreign and international organizations are actually Russian activists and Russian groups,"

"The bill is aimed at cutting them off from their international partners, further isolating them, and squeezing the very life out of Russian civil society."

The law was passed earlier in the week by both houses of the Russian parliament. It says that a foreign non-governmental organization can be recognized as undesirable if it poses a threat to the constitutional order of the Russian Federation or to the country's defense and security.

The "undesirable" designation can be made by the country's prosecutor general or his deputies in consultation with the Foreign Ministry. The penalties -- both civil and criminal -- can be imposed if the organization continues to operate in Russia after having been so designated.

The law also targets Russian citizens or groups that have any "involvement" with undesirable foreign NGOs.

"The bill does not specify what 'involvement' might include," Lokshina wrote in an article published online. "So anything goes. Distributing -- including by posting online -- the statements, reports, or other materials of an 'undesirable,'" or participating in events or even communicating with staffers of such an organization could be cause for prosecution, she wrote.

In other words, in Lokshima's estimation, even retweeting something from an undesirable NGO could land a Russian citizen in jail.