“The Voice” was recognized as a “foreign agent” for a fake 200 rubles – “Vyorstka”

Money was deliberately transferred to the “Golos” voter protection movement in order to be recognized as a “foreign agent”. “Vyorstka” writes about this with reference to a source close to the Ministry of Justice of Russia.

The Russian authorities entered “Golos” into the register of “foreign agents” before the 2021 elections due to the transfer of two hundred rubles from an Armenian citizen. According to the interlocutor of “Vyorstka”, the translation was made specifically so that the representatives of the movement could be “taken” for it.

The source of the publication said that earlier the list of “foreign agents” was entered according to two indicators: “an irritant to the government” and foreign financing. Moreover, if it was not possible to find financing, the potential “agent” could be sent money from abroad by a proxy.

Small monetary transfers from foreigners also figured in the affairs of other “foreign agents”. A number of “Golos” activists entered the register due to the transfer of 200 rubles from a Tajik builder, 171 rubles from a Moroccan student, 500 rubles from a citizen of Uzbekistan, and payments from the League of Voters, which itself was recognized as a “foreign agent” due to the transfer of 230 rubles from citizens of Moldova (the “League” returned this translation).

Yakut human rights defender Stepan Petrov was granted the corresponding status because of five thousand rubles from a native of Kyrgyzstan. Moreover, the Ministry of Justice did not prove that she is still a citizen of this state, Petrov said.

From December 2022, the authorities can recognize anyone who is “under foreign influence” as a “foreign agent”. Since then, according to the second interlocutor of “Vyorstka”, also connected with the Ministry of Justice, the main factor for inclusion in the register was the irritation of the authorities.

“You can literally turn to the Ministry of Justice through acquaintances, say, such people annoy me, pay attention to them”, – asserts the source of “Vyorstky”, adding that the ministry itself is engaged in monitoring.

• There are now about 550 “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.