On September 19, Vladimir Putin signed a decree prohibiting the inclusion of “foreign agents” in the personnel reserve for service in government agencies. The document was published on the website from the legal acts of the Russian Federation, SOTAvision drew attention to this.
The changes concern presidential decree No. 96 of March 1, 2017 “On approval of the regulations on the personnel reserve of a federal government body, the personnel reserve of a public authority of the federal territory.”
It will not be possible to include in the personnel reserve for the civil service not only for being included in the register of “foreign agents,” but also for renouncing Russian citizenship, or for having citizenship of another country or the right to permanent residence in a foreign country.
In November 2022, the State Duma adopted a bill on a number of restrictions for people recognized as “foreign agents.” Among other things, “foreign agents” were prohibited from being in state and municipal service, working in the prosecutor’s office and as contract military personnel, in customs authorities, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Investigative Committee, the FSB, and the SVR. A decree of September 19 expands these restrictions, prohibiting “foreign agents” from being included in the civil service reserves.
- In December 2022, Vladimir Putin also signed a law on imprisonment for “foreign agents” who were brought to justice twice in a year under an administrative article for violating the procedure for the activities of a “foreign agent” (Article 19.34 of the Administrative Code). More than 10 cases have already been opened under the criminal article of evading the duties of a “foreign agent” (Part 2 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code): for example, rapper Oksimiron and femme activist Daria Serenko were put on the wanted list.
- In the fall of 2021, OVD-Info launched the Inoteka project. We explore the practice of applying laws on “foreign agents”, talk about their impact on civil society and specific people, initiate discussions with experts and suggest ways of possible changes. In December 2021, together with the Center for the Protection of Media Rights, we began to provide legal support to people and organizations that were included in the registers of “foreign agents.”
- As of January 18, 2024, there are 756 “foreign agents” in the register, including individuals and organizations. Starting from 2022, the list is growing more actively: in 2021, 110 individuals and projects became “foreign agents”, in 2022 - 188, and in 2023 - already 227. If previously the instrument of recognition as a “foreign agent” was primarily aimed at journalists , media and human rights activists, now this status has extended to representatives of other spheres. The list of reasons for inclusion in the register has also expanded : the Ministry of Justice officially admits that it uses the law to persecute people who speak out against the war. As of January 11, 2024, at least 199 “foreign agents” have been removed from the registers—however, their personal data will remain on the list even after removal.