Russian Duma rules that foreign media can be recognized as foreign agents
The State Duma of Russia, in its third and final reading, adopted an amendment that will allow the Russian Ministry of Justice to recognize foreign media as foreign agents, Dozhd TV reported.
The vote was unanimous. A total of 414 deputies voted for the adoption of the law.
According to the document, “legal entities registered in a foreign state” and “foreign structures without the formation of a legal entity” can be declared as foreign agents. The Ministry of Justice will be empowered to do this.
The State Duma specified that this will not apply to Russian media, including those with a share of foreign capital.
Earlier, the head of the Duma’s media committee, Leonid Levin, noted that the amendment “will not change the policy on freedom of speech and the principles of journalists’ work in Russia.”
The amendment adopted in Russia came as a response to the RT television channel being declared a foreign agent in the United States. On Monday, November 13, RT America registered as a foreign agent in the United States.
The bill will be sent to the Federation Council, and after approval it will be sent to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for signing.