evidence: Some Soros-backed pro-democracy initiatives have been banned in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.[113] Ercis Kurtulus, head of the Social Transparency Movement Association (TSHD) in Turkey, said in an interview 2006 that "Soros carried out his will in Ukraine and Georgia by using these NGOs ... Last year Russia passed a special law prohibiting NGOs from taking money from foreigners. I think this should be banned in Turkey as well."[114] In 1997, Soros closed his foundation in Belarus after it was fined $3 million by the government for "tax and currency violations". According to The New York Times 1997, the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has been widely criticized in the West and in Russia for his efforts to control the Belarus Soros Foundation and other independent NGOs and to suppress civil and human rights. Soros called the fines part of a campaign to "destroy independent society".[115] [...] - ^ Makortoff, Kalyeena (November 20, 2015). "Russia bans George Soros charity as 'security threat'". cnbc.com. CNBC LLC. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016. - ^ "Russia Bans George Soros Foundation as State Security 'Threat'". fortune.com. Fortune. November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.