Statement, 12/4/2019
Russian 'Foreign Agent' Law Targets Journalists And Threatens Isolation
RFE/RL President Jamie Fly condemned the law, saying it targets the work and jeopardizes the security of the company’s journalists, and is “an attempt to silence them and deprive Russian citizens of their right to seek reliable information.”
Statement, 12/3/2019
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir expressed his concerns regarding Russia’s “foreign agent” law, which extends the status of a “foreign agent” to private individuals, and introduces new restrictions on the distribution of information from media outlets categorized as “foreign agents.” Désir said “This law will restrict the access to information and the dissemination of information," adding that it "represents a dangerous regulatory practice, which narrows the space for freedom of expression, freedom of the media and free flow of information in the Russian Federation."
Reporting, 12/3/2019
Putin Signs 'Foreign Agents' Law That Threatens Website Closures
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that amends an existing law on media outlets deemed "foreign agents" that critics say is used to muzzle dissent, limit news plurality, and discourage the free exchange of ideas. RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said on November 21 that the law "invades" the lives and security of reporters and "is reminiscent of the darkest times in Russia's past."