On 5 July 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Justice designated journalists Olesya Gerasimenko and Sergey Yezhov as “foreign agents”, Russian media reported. According to the ministry, Gerasimenko and Yezhov are accused of spreading “false information” about decisions made by Russian authorities. In addition, they received the “foreign agent” designation for denouncing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and allegedly “discrediting” the Russian army. Gerasimenko is a correspondent for the BBC Russian Service who also works for online outlet Verstka. Sergei Yezhov is an investigative journalist at Russian online outlet The Insider.
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.