Russia: Russia has added renowned journalist and Nobel Prize co-recipient Mr. Dmitry Muratov to its list of foreign agents, which is a label authorities use to suppress critics. The move targeting the editor of Russia’s top independent publication, Novaya Gazeta, is part of a suppression of civil society institutions that criticize Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
“Mr. Muratov used foreign platforms to disseminate opinions aimed at forming a negative attitude towards the foreign and domestic policy of the Russian Federation”, Russia’s Justice Ministry commented. The Ministry also accused Mr. Muratov of creating and distributing content from other foreign agents.
“What is there to comment on? For comments, contact the Ministry of Justice,” Novaya Gazeta’s website stated, noting that the list of foreign agents now included 674 “worthy” people and organizations.
The label, which represents the term “enemies of the people” of the Soviet era, imposes heavy administrative constraints and requires sources of funding to be disclosed. It also compels foreign agents to mark all publications, including social media posts, with a tag. The label is part of an array of legislation Russia uses to silence critics, along with the harsher “undesirable organization” tag.
Since the war began with Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has stepped up efforts to stamp out dissent. Most high-profile opponents are behind bars or in exile.
Mr. Muratov is part of the legal team defending his friend Mr. Oleg Orlov, co-chair of the Russian human rights organization Memorial. Mr. Orlov is on trial over lone pickets against the assault on Ukraine and over an op-ed in the French publication Mediapart titled “They wanted fascism, they got it”. Mr. Orlov was also charged with discrediting the army, which is one of the tools Moscow uses against critics of the military operation.
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