On 30 August 2023, a court in Moscow received a case against journalist Karen Shainyan, who was accused of violating Russian legislation on “foreign agents”, a status he was handed in April 2022. An initial trial in Shainyan’s case was scheduled for September 25. According to Russian media, the journalist is accused of not marking his publications with a disclaimer on his “foreign agent” status. If found guilty, Shainyan faces a fine of up to 50 thousand rubles. In July, the journalist was added to Russia’s list of “extremists and terrorists”, with independent Russian media claiming a criminal case on charges of “extremism” had likely been opened against him. In August, Shainyan was also placed on Russia’s ‘wanted’ list.
A TV journalist, Karen Shainyan left Russia following the start of the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He moved to Germany, where he works for the OstWest television company, producing a regular program on the effects of the war. A recent issue of the program was dedicated to Russian soldiers who deserted from the front in Ukraine, and to the human rights organizations that help them escape.
Initially adopted in 2012, Russia’s law on foreign agents has been revised several times over the past decade to include an ever-wider range of potential targets for state-sponsored discrimination. Currently, any organization, media or private individual can be designated as such simply by being declared to be “under foreign influence” by the Russian Ministry of Justice or because of receiving funds of any amount from abroad (or from an entity itself receiving foreign funds). “Foreign agents” are also barred from receiving state financing, teaching at state universities, working with minors and providing expertise on environmental issues, among other restrictions.
UPDATE: On 25 September 2023, a court in Moscow fined Shainyan 30 thousand rubles for not adding disclaimers on his “foreign agent” status to his social media publications.