The State Duma building in Moscow. Photo: EPA-EFE/MAXIM SHIPENKOV
The speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin announced three new legislative initiatives aimed at tightening the existing law on so-called “foreign agents” on Thursday.
The proposals would designate any Russian citizen cooperating with international organisations of which Russia is not a member, such as the International Criminal Court, a “foreign agent”, as well as anybody involved in intelligence gathering or assisting foreign governments in activities directed against Russia’s security, Volodin said.
The proposal would also allow “foreign agents” to be tried in absentia for incitement to terrorism, spreading “false” information about the military and the rehabilitation of Nazism.
Under the proposals, anyone calling for sanctions on Russia or “discrediting” the army “for mercenary motives or payment” would face a prison term of up to five years and could have their property confiscated.
The punishment for assisting international organisations of which Russia is not a part for payment would be a prison sentence of up to seven years with confiscation of property, Volodin said, adding: “Anyone who betrays our country should not be able to escape justice and liability, even beyond its borders.”
In December, the State Duma adopted a law requiring any income due to “foreign agents” from real estate, royalties or dividends to be paid into a ruble account that would be frozen until the designation is removed”.
Under Russian law, any person or organisation deemed to have received funding from abroad or to be under “foreign influence” must register as a “foreign agent”.
However, as those given the designation are disqualified from various professions, are subject to various onerous financial disclosure requirements and are often left unable to find work, the label has been routinely abused by the authorities to intimidate and punish Kremlin critics and independent journalists.
