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Russian Watchdog Takes First Step Toward Punishing RFE/RL Under 'Foreign
Agents' Law

RFE/RL's Russian Service

   MOSCOW - Russia's telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor has drawn up
   its first eight administrative protocols -- all against Radio Free
   Europe/Radio Liberty -- for violating the country's controversial
   foreign agents law.

   Roskomnadzor said in a statement on its website on January 12 that the
   offenses are "for noncompliance by the media performing the functions
   of a foreign agent with the requirements of the law on labeling
   information disseminated by them."

   The protocols involve RFE/RL's Russian Service, Current Time,
   Sibir.Realii, and Idel.Realii.

   "The drawn-up protocols will be sent to the magistrate's court within
   three working days to make decisions on the imposition of
   administrative fines," Roskomnadzor said.

   The "foreign agent" law, originally passed in 2012, requires designated
   organizations to report their activities and face financial audits.
   Amendments to the law in December 2020 oblige the media to note the
   designation whenever they mention these individuals or groups.

   The new law also says that individuals, including foreign journalists,
   involved in Russia's political developments or collecting materials and
   data related to Russia's defense or national-security issues must be
   included on the list of foreign agents.

   Critics say the law has been arbitrarily applied to target Russian
   civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and political
   activists, including outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny's
   Anti-Corruption Foundation.

   Amnesty International recently slammed the legislation, saying it would
   "drastically limit and damage the work not only of civil society
   organizations that receive funds from outside Russia but many other
   groups as well."

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