Russia has begun training experts to recognize individuals and non-profit organizations as "foreign agents."
The Ministry of Justice will train specialists in political analysis of information materials, who will be responsible for determining whether an individual or NGO is engaged in political activity. The deputy director of the Ministry of Justice told Interfax this. Russian Federal Center for Forensic Examinations under the Ministry of Justice Georgy OmelyanukAccording to him, the examination will be conducted "on cases related to the designation of non-profit organizations or individuals as foreign agents," as well as "the dissemination of extremist materials, calls for mass unrest," and "election violations."
Three specialists are already undergoing training under the program. They will analyze any materials (slogans, gestures, posters, cartoons, publications, correspondence, photographs) posted in the media and online, including comments on social media.
In addition, according to Omelyanuk, the Ministry of Justice is developing methods for forensic religious and forensic ethical examinations.
As a reminder, the law "On Control over the Activities of Persons Under Foreign Influence" has been in effect in Russia since December 1, 2022. According to this law, any individual or legal entity that has received "foreign support" or is under "foreign influence" can be designated a "foreign agent." Previously, evidence of foreign funding was required to be considered a "foreign agent." This is no longer necessary.
Furthermore, since December of last year, the Ministry of Justice has introduced a unified register of foreign agents in Russia, consisting of individuals, media outlets, non-profit organizations, and unregistered public associations. Currently, the list contains 697 "foreign agents." The musician was the first to be added to this register. Andrei Makarevich for interviews with foreign media. Among those included on the foreign agent list not for funding, but because of "foreign influence" are Boris Grebenshchikov, Sergey Guriev, Pavel Chikov, Max Pokrovsky, Ilya Varlamov, Pavel Kanygin, Semyon Slepakov, Dmitry Muratov.
