On 16 June 2023, the Russian Ministry of Justice designated journalists Yulia Paramonova and Svetlana Prokopyeva as “foreign agents”. Both work as correspondents for the Russian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as for the outlet’s regional edition for north-western Russia, Sever.Realii. In a statement, the Ministry cited several reasons for designating Paramonova and Prokopyeva as “foreign agents”, including their criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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.