In an hour, “foreign agents” increased by 188, “affiliated” – by 861

In 2022, the Ministry of Justice of Russia recognized 188 people and organizations as foreign agents. Only in December, 861 people were added to the list of “affiliated with foreign agents”. This is stated in the department’s report.

42.6% more individuals and legal entities were declared “foreign agents” than in the previous year. The Ministry of Justice explained this growth by the increased number of negative publications about the Russian authorities and about “events” in Ukraine, writes “OVD-Info”, which drew attention to the report.

The register of “persons affiliated with foreign agents” appeared in December 2022. It is closed to public access, as it is designed to contain personal information about its members, including their passport data and place of residence. In its report, the Ministry of Justice also does not disclose the names of the “affiliates”, however it notes that most of them are related to “activities during the period of preparation and holding of elections”.

• The Russian authorities can declare anyone who is under “foreign influence” a foreign agent, the definition of which is very vague in the law.
• Now there are about 400 “foreign agents” in the register: individuals, mass media, NGOs and companies. The status of foreign agent obliges, among other things, to report quarterly on the movement of funds on personal accounts and to mark all public messages. Errors in the report or lack of marking are punishable up to imprisonment.
• From the end of 2022, “foreign agents” are prohibited from teaching in state institutions, organizing public events, serving in the army under contract, and being members of election commissions.