The Russian Ministry of Justice added Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) to the blacklist of “foreign agents”. DW journalists’ accreditation to work in Russia were previously cancelled at the beginning of February 2022 as retaliatory action after Germany banned Russian TV channel RT DE. DW’s website was then blocked in Russia on March 4. On DW’s website, Christian Trippe, DW Director of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, said that “We journalists continue to do our work and provide reliable information for our target audience in Russia.” Once authorities label a media organisation a “foreign agent”, they are required to label anything they publish — even a social media post — with a disclaimer indicating their status as a foreign agent. They are also required to file regular financial statements and reports on their activities every six months with the government and undergo annual audits. The measure was widely seen as another retaliatory act against the German broadcaster over its coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Russia-Ukraine WarCensorship and regulationPublication ban, take-down order or forced deletion, fine, administrative action