Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Signs Controversial ‘Foreign Agent’ Law Expansion

The new law significantly widens the scope of who can be recognized as a foreign agent in Russia. Mikhail Klimentyev / TASS

President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill allowing any politically active, foreign-funded individual or organization to be labeled a “foreign agent.”

The new law significantly widens the scope of who can be recognized as a foreign agent in Russia and has been criticized as an effort to stamp out critical voices. The foreign agent law first passed in 2012 initially targeted media outlets and civil society groups and has been gradually expanded since to include individual journalists and bloggers.

Under the law signed by Putin on Wednesday, foreign-funded individuals who gather information on Russia’s military or military-technical activities will also be labeled as foreign agents. 

Individuals and groups recognized as foreign agents are required to report their activities and face financial audits. Under the new law, organizations labeled foreign agents are required to submit quarterly financial documentation to the Justice Ministry.

These individuals and groups must be referred to as foreign agents any time they are mentioned in the media. However, the latest amendments to the law remove the requirement for bloggers and regular citizens to label information about foreign agents.  

The law will come into force 10 days after it is published.

The legislation comes amid a flurry of new additions to Russia’s foreign agents registry, which critics say marks a renewed crackdown on voices critical of the Kremlin ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.

This week, the Justice Ministry added five individuals to the registry for the first time ever, setting a precedent to target specific journalists and human rights activists instead of just organizations.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more