A meeting of candidates for State Duma deputies with voters on the need to repeal the law on media “foreign agents” was held in Moscow

At Chistye Prudy in Moscow in the afternoon of September 4, a meeting of candidates for State Duma deputies with voters on the need to abolish the law on media “foreign agents” was held. The organizers of the meeting proposed amendments to the law and promised to achieve their adoption if they are elected to the State Duma. The police did not interfere with the rally. The meeting was attended by candidates for State Duma deputies from Yabloko Kirill Goncharov, Nikolai Kavkazsky, Roman Kiselev, Marina Litvinovich, Mikhail Lobanov, Sergei Mitrokhin, Alena Popova, candidate from the Party of Growth Elvira Vikhareva and the Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers.

On August 28, the editors of independent media and the Journalists’ Union appealed to the Russian authorities with a demand to abolish the laws on foreign agents and undesirable organizations, stop beating reporters at protests and initiate fictitious criminal and administrative cases against them. The authors of the appeal called what was happening a campaign to destroy non-state media and put pressure on individual journalists. The Journalists’ Union also launched a petition with the text of the editorial office’s appeal for signing by everyone who is worried about the situation with freedom of speech in Russia.

The city authorities refused to hold the action, citing restrictions due to COVID-19 (we are talking about the ban on mass public events). The trade union of journalists intends to challenge both the refusal to approve the rally and the decree of Mayor Sergei Sobyanin of June 8, 2020.

The first pickets in support of the journalists were held on August 21 near the main FSB building in Lubyanka, the day after the Dozhd TV channel and Vazhnye Stories were entered into the register of media “foreign agents”. Then 12 people were detained at the action. According to OVD-Info, eight journalists, two activists and students of Moscow State University were taken to the department. At all, they drew up protocols on violation of the established procedure for holding a protest action (part 5 of article 20.2 of the Administrative Code).

This year, the authorities have stepped up pressure on independent media. In the spring, the Ministry of Justice declared Meduza and VTimes “foreign agents.” In July, The Project became the first media outlet to be recognized as an “unwanted organization”. There are 47 individuals and legal entities in the register today, including The Insider, employees of Project, Open Media, Radio Liberty and other journalists. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the inclusion of journalists in the register is “not the equivalent of a ban on work.”

The law on media “foreign agents” in Russia was adopted in 2017, then it was significantly amended and expanded.