Mediazona designated as foreign agent by Russian Ministry of Justice

Mediazona foreign agent Russian Ministry of Justice press freedom independent media

The Russian Ministry of Justice has designated the independent news outlet Mediazona as a ‘foreign agent’. The ministry claims the outlet disseminated false information regarding the Russian law enforcement system. Under Russian law, the ‘foreign agent’ label is applied to organizations receiving foreign funding that engage in political activity, a designation that subjects them to increased government oversight.

This marks the second time Mediazona has received this designation; it was previously labeled a foreign agent in 2021. Mediazona’s editor-in-chief, Yegor Skavarda, described the decision as ‘incredibly crazy’. Most of the outlet's journalists, including Skavarda, are currently operating from outside of Russia.

In March 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor blocked the Mediazona website within the country. Additionally, Russian authorities have pursued criminal cases against several of the outlet's journalists working abroad, including editor Sergey Smirnov.

Entities

Mediazona · Roskomnadzor · Russian Ministry of Justice · Sergey Smirnov · Yegor Skavarda

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The regulator Roskomnadzor blocked the Mediazona website in Russia in March 2022. www.businessdaily.gr · www.zougla.gr · www.cnn.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] Russia has initiated criminal cases against several Mediazona journalists working abroad, including editor Sergey Smirnov. www.businessdaily.gr · www.zougla.gr · www.cnn.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] The foreign agent designation is applied to organizations with foreign funding that engage in political activity. www.businessdaily.gr · www.zougla.gr · www.cnn.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] Editor-in-chief Yegor Skavarda described the Ministry's decision as incredibly crazy. www.businessdaily.gr · www.zougla.gr · www.cnn.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] The Russian Ministry of Justice designated Mediazona as a foreign agent. www.businessdaily.gr · www.zougla.gr · www.cnn.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] This is the second time Mediazona has been designated a foreign agent by Russian authorities. www.businessdaily.gr · www.zougla.gr · www.cnn.gr

Sources

Ρωσία: Η Mediazona χαρακτηρίστηκε «ξένος πράκτορας» από το Υπ. Δικαιοσύνης [www.businessdaily.gr]

22 days ago

Ρωσία: «Ξένος πράκτορας» το ανεξάρτητο μέσο ενημέρωσης Mediazona [www.zougla.gr]

22 days ago

Ρωσία: Το υπουργείο Δικαιοσύνης χαρακτήρισε το ανεξάρτητο μέσο ενημέρωσης Mediazona «ξένο πράκτορα» [www.cnn.gr]

22 days ago