On 29 November 2024, Russian independent media reported that Ilya Davlyatchin, who currently works for the exiled Mozhem Obyasnit (“We Can Explain”) project, was handed two fines of 30 thousand rubles each for having allegedly violated Russian laws on “foreign agents”, Russian independent media reported. Davlyatchin was accused of not submitting activity and financial reports to the Russian Ministry of Justice.
Later on the same day, it was reported that the journalist had also been placed on Russia’s ‘wanted’ list, meaning that a criminal case had been opened against him. While the details of the case were unclear, Russian independent outlet MediaZona speculated that the case against Davlyatchin had been opened in Belarus for his participation in a talk show hosted by independent TV channel Belsat. At the same time, Russian authorities are empowered to open criminal cases on “foreign agent” grounds against Russians who were fined more than once on these grounds within a year, which is the case of Davlyatchin.
Authorities earlier justified their decision to designate the journalist as a “foreign agent” claiming that he had contributed to creating a “negative image of the Russian Federation”, that he had criticized Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and that he had allegedly spread “false information” about the policies and decisions of Russian authorities. The journalist was also accused of disseminating content produced by other “foreign agents”.
Ilya Davlyatchin left Russia following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He has previously published for independent Russian media outlets such as Verstka, Poligon Media and Novaya Gazeta Europe. The journalist commented on the “foreign agent” decision on Instagram, implying that he would not comply with the new restrictions.
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.