Has criticized the Kremlin for years
Moscow brands Nobel Prize winners
09/01/2023, 11:58 p.m
Russia continues to crack down on critics of the Kremlin. Now it hits the journalist Dmitri Muratow, who has already received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work. The Russian Ministry of Justice classifies him as a “foreign agent”.
Amid mounting crackdowns on critics of the Kremlin, Russia has labeled Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov a “foreign agent.” The well-known journalist disseminated materials from other “foreign agents” and “used foreign platforms to disseminate opinions aimed at forming a negative attitude towards Russian foreign and domestic policy,” the Ministry of Justice in Moscow said.
The Russian judiciary uses the widely criticized label of “foreign agent” to brand both individuals and organizations. Many then fight for their existence because, for example, supporters, business partners and income are lost. Since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine a year and a half ago, the repression of opposition figures and critical figures in Russia has increased even further.
Free Speech Fighter
Muratov is the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, a medium that is critical of the Kremlin and works in exile abroad. The 61-year-old was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for his courageous fight for freedom of expression. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had already threatened Muratov at the time, saying: “If he covers himself with the Nobel Prize like a protective shield in order to violate Russian laws, then he is doing it consciously. If he doesn’t violate Russian laws and doesn’t give him any reason to kill him Declaring ‘foreign agents’, he won’t either.”
The law on action against “foreign agents” was introduced in 2012 and has been increasingly used against human rights organizations and the media in recent years, and since 2020 also against individuals. According to the Justice Ministry, more than 100 individuals and about the same number of organizations are considered “foreign agents” in Russia. They are subject to extensive administrative requirements and must indicate their classification in all publications, especially on the Internet. Otherwise there is a risk of fines and professional bans.