Russia’s State Duma voted to expand the criteria for labeling organizations as “undesirable” to now include any entity affiliated with a foreign government. Originally targeting foreign-funded NGOs, the law has extended to independent news outlets, human rights groups, and more. The amendments would give the Justice Ministry the power to label state-sponsored entities as “undesirable,” with similar penalties as NGOs.
Penalties for members of “undesirable” groups can include up to four years in prison, while leaders can face up to six years. The new legislation could potentially target state-backed media outlets like the BBC and Radio Free Europe. The bill needs to pass the Federation Council and be signed by Putin to become law.
Designated “undesirable” organizations must cease operations in Russia, with sharing their content being illegal. Currently, 178 organizations, including The Moscow Times, have been labeled as such by Russia’s Justice Ministry.