Kremlin to review amendments to ‘foreign agent’ law put forward by independent media

The Kremlin will review the proposed amendments to Russia’s law on “foreign agents” put forward by the publishers and editors-in-chief of independent media outlets, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti on Friday, September 3.

“There is an appeal, it’s much more constructive. This isn’t a demand that was previously voiced, but a constructive proposal, therefore, of course, we will consider them [the amendments] in terms of their feasibility.”

• On August 27, a number of independent media outlets made a public appeal to the Russian leadership for an end to the campaign against independent journalism and the repeal of Russia’s laws on “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations.” In response, Dmitry Peskov said that this appeal “deserves attention,” but Russia’s “foreign agents” law “should be and it will be.”
• On September 1, the publishers and top editors of 22 independent media outlets published another appeal outlining 12 proposed amendments to the law on “foreign agents.” Among other things, they suggested changing the law so that “foreign agent” status can only be handed down by court order, removing provisions from the legislation that allow for its arbitrary application, simplifying the accounting procedure for “foreign agents,” and establishing a process for lifting this status altogether. The signatories also called for rescinding the current list of “foreign agents.”