The state Duma adopted in the second reading amendments to the law “On mass media”, according to which foreign media ieagent may be considered any person who distributes informational materials and receives money or “other property” from foreign countries and their government agencies. The adoption of these amendments voted by 337 deputies abstained 1 MP.
In addition, the bill States that individuals and legal entities may be recognized as foreign agents, if spread messages and materials of foreign media-registered as foreign agents, and get money or “other property” from foreign States, their government agencies and even the foreign media-registered as foreign agents. According to the text of the draft law, the Ministry of justice is authorized to register foreign media-registered as foreign agents. The decision on inclusion of the foreign media inherent, physical persons or legal entities performing the functions registered as foreign agents, the register will be taken by the Ministry of justice in coordination with the Ministry of foreign Affairs.
The bill also stipulates that the organization, which is recognized as foreign media noagenda, shall, within one month from the date of recognition to create in Russia a legal entity. About the creation of a legal entity, the organization must immediately notify the Federal authorities.
In this case, those individuals who have been recognized by the foreign media, acting as a foreign agent, to the introduction of the bill into force, are obliged to establish a Russian legal entity before February 1, 2020.
We will remind, now in the registry of foreign agents included such media as the “Voice of America”, “Radio Freedom”, “Pictograph”, “Sibir.Realities”, “Idel.Realities”, “The Caucasus.Reality” and “Crimea.Realities”.
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