The Ministry of Justice clarified the requirements for media with the status of “foreign agents”

The Ministry of Justice has published a draft order on the responsibilities of media outlets granted the status of “foreign agent.” The corresponding document was published on the portal of draft regulations.

According to the draft, the status of “foreign agent” is assigned to a media outlet or a legal entity registered in a foreign state, or a foreign structure without the formation of a legal entity that distributes texts, audio or video to a wide range of people.

If a media outlet or organization receives money from foreign states, their government bodies, international and foreign organizations, foreign citizens, or stateless persons, then it is also recognized as a “foreign agent.”

Such media are required to accompany their materials with an indication that they were published or distributed by “foreign agents.” However, the document does not explain how the editorial board should indicate its status.

In addition, such publications must provide the Ministry of Justice with information about their management team, an expense report and an audit report at the end of the year. Information about the management team of the media must be submitted once every six months. A report on the purposes of spending funds and using other property must be submitted every quarter.

A media outlet can be included in the register of “foreign agents” at its own request or by order of the Prosecutor General’s Office. Only the Prosecutor General's Office can remove a publication from the register.

In addition, the head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, Leonid Levin, said that the bill recognizing the media as “foreign” agents could be extended to individuals. The corresponding bill was submitted to the State Duma on December 19. Some wording of the draft law cannot be interpreted unambiguously.

According to Levin, this status can be granted to individuals who directly or indirectly receive money from government sources in countries where the work of Russian publications is restricted. He noted that now the bill submitted to the State Duma does not say this, but “perhaps it will be in the by-laws.”

In November, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on the media - “foreign agents”. The Russian authorities took such measures after the American Ministry of Justice demanded that Russia Today and Sputnik submit documents for registration in a similar status. Currently, there are nine media outlets on the Russian register of foreign agents: Voice of America and eight projects of Radio Liberty.