On 15 December 2023, the Russian Ministry of Justice designated journalist Andrey Zatirko as a “foreign agent” on a range of grounds, including his reported criticism of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to a statement made by the ministry. Independent Russian investigative media Agentstvo later condemned the move, confirming that Zatirko was one of their “leading editors”.
“The Justice Ministry’s actions are aimed at silencing independent voices, including Agentstvo. But we will take advantage of the situation to try to achieve the opposite effect,” the media outlet wrote on Telegram, posting links to articles published for the outlet by Zatirko.
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.