On 8 November 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Justice designated journalist Dmitry Treshchanin and online news outlet Govorit NeMoskva as “foreign agents”, Russian media reported. Authorities accused the journalist and the outlet of “disseminating fake news” about the Russian government and its decisions, distributing content created by other “foreign agents”, and opposing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Govorit NeMoskva was founded in October 2022 by a group of independent Russian journalists led by Dmitry Muchnik. The outlet’s website was blocked in Russia soon after it began operations. Dmitry Treshchanin works for independent outlet MediaZona, where he leads the opinion department, covering political topics, including Russia’s war in Ukraine. He previously worked at TV Rain and Current Time TV.
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.