Russia's "Foreign Agent" Law

[Boethius]

This is a way to suppress political opinion.

http://www.npr.org/2021/07/31/1021804569/russias-foreign-agent-law-targets-journalists-activists-even-ordinary-citizens

The purpose, I believe, is to have Russians dismiss the perspectives of those it labels "foreign agents".

Russia's 2012 law on foreign agents originally singled out nongovernmental organizations reciving grants from abroad.  The legislation has since been amended to target not only media organizations but also individual journalists, YouTube bloggers and practically anyone else who receives money from abroad and voices a political opinion.

Upon receiving the designation, they are required to label anything they publish — even social media posts — as the work of a foreign agent, and submit quarterly financial reports to the Justice Ministry. Bookkeeping mistakes and failure to comply can result in fines and even imprisonment.

At the end of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed new legislation[/size] [/size] that expanded the legal definition of who can be considered a foreign agent. Since December, the Justice Ministry has slapped the label on more than a dozen Russian citizens, including Apakhonchich and Lev Ponomaryov, a human rights activist for more than 30 years.Following the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny earlier this year, the Kremlin has used the foreign agents law to go after journalists and news organizations that are critical of the government.  Last week, the investigative news site The Insider became the 16th media outlet to be added to the Justice Ministry's foreign agents list.

[BC]

Although less Draconian, the US also has similar legislation, including full financial disclosures during inspections.

http://www.justice.gov/nsd-fara/frequently-asked-questions

Of course, in RU it more about maintaining power, quashing criticism and political competition.

What do the majority of Russians think about it?  I reckon for the masses such is considered tolerable, maybe even justified.

Considering Putin is relatively young and in good health, it is likely at least a decade will pass before anything can change.

The rest of the political world, although balking from time to time with his stunts, may consider stability and predictability more important than change.

[2tallbill]

The Kremlin is tightening the noose around any dissent. Roskomonadzor is 100%
beholden to Putin and pretends to be a watchdog group when it's a political arm
instead. Reuters goes along with the mythology.

Russia tells Google, Apple to remove Navalny app
Roskomnadzor has demanded that Alphabet's Google and Apple remove Kremlin critic
Alexei Navalny's app from their stores, Interfax news agency quoted the watchdog as
saying on Friday.

http://news.trust.org/item/20210820132953-c8ywv