09.04.2025, 12:13

Russian State Duma passes laws tightening control over "foreign agents"

The army of "enemies of Russia" is growing. 400 deputies of the State Duma of Russia, headed by its chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, have authored laws "on new grounds for recognition as foreign agents." This is reported by the Russian newspaper Parlamentskaya Gazeta.

The State Duma unanimously adopted the relevant bill in the second and third readings on April 8

"They want to recognize as foreign agents persons who facilitate the implementation of decisions of international organizations in which Russia does not participate (for example, the International Criminal Court) or foreign state bodies if they are directed against the country's security," the report says. - "The same status may be extended to those who involve citizens in collecting information in the field of military and technical activities that can be used against Russia's security."

Amendments to existing Russian legislation "aimed at increasing control over the activities" of so-called "foreign agents" have not yet been published in the Code of Russian Laws. However, the Russian Telegram channel RIA Novosti supplemented the Parliamentnaya Gazeta's publication with theses from the new legislation on "foreign agents":

"In a number of cases trialtrial without the participation of the defendant (for example, in cases of fakes about the Russian army); is established liability in the form of 5 years in a colony with confiscation of property for calling for sanctions or discrediting the Russian army for mercenary reasons; a penalty of up to 7 years in prison for paid assistance to international organizations in which Russia does not participate is introduced.

Thus, in fact, the list of "foreign agents" includes all employees of international human rights organizations and those who cooperate with them or apply to them, as well as those who work with international grants from foreign organizations, from which representatives of Russia, after the armed invasion of Ukraine, were excluded.

The main initiator of the adoption of these laws, Vyacheslav Volodin, said on the eve of the vote that "the adoption of the law will protect Russia and its citizens from interference from unfriendly states and stop crimes aimed at undermining the foundations of the constitutional order, defense and security of the country," RIA Novosti wrote.

It is worth recalling that the status of "foreign agent" in Russia is granted to citizens who are disloyal to the existing government there.

Reference."Foreign agent" (inoagent) is a status granted in Russia to persons who, according to the Russian authorities, receive foreign support or are under "foreign influence", appeared in 2012 after the adoption of amendments to the Federal Law "On Non-Profit Organizations", - the Russian Wikipedia writes.

Earlier, "Holos Kryma" wrote that Russia is tightening control over the information space in the occupied territories, which leaves no anonymity for social media users.