The Novosibirsk deputy was recognized as a “foreign agent” without money from abroad

The Ministry of Justice recognized Anton Kartavin, an independent deputy of the city council of Novosibirsk, as a so-called foreign agent, although he did not receive any money from abroad. Kartavyn published the response to the Ministry of Justice from Roskomnadzor about the absence of any foreign translations in his Telegram channel.

The Ministry of Justice requested information from Roskomnadzor about whether MP Kartavyn is the founder of mass media and whether he has foreign financing in the summer of 2023. Roskomnadzor answered both questions in the negative – the letter was sent in August 2023.

Despite this, in February 2024, the deputy was recognized as a “foreign agent”. Now Kartavyn intends to appeal the decision of the Ministry of Justice in court, writes Sibir.Realii.

The current version of the law on foreign agents allows people to be recognized as foreign agents even without receiving foreign financing – this requirement was in the previous version of the document. There have been cases of people being recognized as “foreign agents” without foreign funding – the reason for the recognition was receiving money from other “foreign agents” or even an interview with the mass media, recognized as “foreign agents”, in combination with opposition to the Russian authorities, in particular, on the issue of the war in Ukraine.

• Anton Kartavyn is a deputy of the city council of Novosibirsk, elected in September 2020. In 2023, he became one of the leaders of the protest against the increase in utilities tariffs in the region, as well as the author of the initiative to return the direct elections of the mayor of Novosibirsk.