“Outside interference must not be allowed”: Putin invited human rights defenders to work on the law on foreign agents

The law on foreign agents should be discussed with the professional community. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC). He stressed that this law should not allow outside interference, but at the same time should “not de-energize the tools necessary for the development of the country.” This question was raised today by the editor-in-chief of Moskovsky Komsomolets Pavel Gusev.

In particular, he called it “one of the most controversial” bills adopted by the State Duma in recent years, as well as “a great disaster, a disaster for Russian journalists.” Gusev pointed out that the reason for the inclusion of media workers in the register of “foreign agents” may be the use of foreign money during business trips and performances abroad.

“Many of our journalists go to various congresses, receive international awards, they participate in exchange programs and seminars. Often this is all (organized) with foreign money. This is carried out by international organizations. Thus, we essentially exclude our journalists from international activities, ”he explained. Gusev also cited another example of the “underdevelopment” of the bill. It is connected with the need for journalists – “foreign agents” to label all their messages on social networks. According to him, “this is just some kind of absurdity.”

In turn, Putin called “comical” cases related to the law on the media – “foreign agents”. For example, he considered it “excessive” the need for journalists recognized as “foreign agents” to label all their messages on social networks. …

The President also agreed that it is necessary to work out the law on “foreign agents” with the professional community.

“The document has not been discussed with the professional community. It is not only necessary to pay attention to this, this work must be carried out without fail, ”the Russian president emphasized.

“Here we need to act very carefully so as not to de-energize those tools that are absolutely necessary for us, not to blunt them, which we must use for our own interests, for the development of our country and democratic institutions. In order to make our society and economy more competitive in the end. In order to move forward, ”the head of state said.

Putin stressed that the law should not allow outside interference, and should also protect the country from “someone using some tools inside Russia to achieve their goals that have nothing to do with Russia’s interests.”

“Do you know how our media are treated abroad? They are declared foreign agents – they are summoned to courts, for interrogations, they are threatened with imprisonment for failure to appear. We also need to ensure freedom of speech, to a certain extent, the immunity of those people who pay attention to the flaws of our society, imperfections of the state system, issues that arise during election campaigns, ”the head of state said.

“You have to be very subtle here,” the president added. – Let’s get back to this, we will work with the professional community. And we will come, as far as possible, to an agreed decision ”.

Earlier, we recall, the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov called on all countries, including Russia and the United States, to abolish all laws on foreign agents. The call was made the day before, in a video message to the participants of the Summit for Democracy organized by the US authorities.

Muratov recalled that in Russia many media outlets and journalists are already recognized as foreign agents and “this is read as ‘enemies of the people’.” According to him, the Russian authorities, speaking of foreign agents, refer to the fact that in the United States since the time of the struggle first against Nazism and then against communism, a similar law was adopted and is still in effect. “Let’s try in different countries to get rid of this shameful stigma, which is becoming fatal for our profession,” Muratov suggested.

Let us remind you that on October 15, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation entered into its register the foreign agents and the founder of IA Rosbalt – the joint-stock company (JSC) RS-Balt. Read more about this in article “Foreign agents are all around: the turn has come to” Rosbalt “.

A few days later, a group of Just Russia deputies led by Sergei Mironov submitted a bill to the State Duma that would amend the legislation on “foreign agents”. The corresponding document provides for a “softer version” in order to exclude negative consequences for the further work of the media.

Mironov also expressed confidence that President Vladimir Putin shares the position of the SZRP on softening the legislation on foreign media agents.