“There shouldn’t be an easy life for the executive branch”: deputy Novichkov stated the need for evidence to include the media in the list of “foreign agents”

Deputy of the State Duma, one of the authors of the draft amendments to the legislation on media-foreign agents, Nikolai Novichkov, believes that the decision on who should be included in the list of media-foreign agents should be made by the court, and not by any supervisory body or executive body. He stated this in an interview with TV2.

“If Roskomnadzor or the Ministry of Justice believes that this subject, individual or legal entity is a foreign agent, then this must be proven,” the deputy stressed. “Now this is being done not only unfounded, but without evidence. The story with Rosbalt is well known. Rosbalt still does not understand how he got there. The current version of the law does not oblige anyone to prove anything. This is how I see everything, says the Ministry of Justice.”

According to Novichkov, “the executive branch should not have an easy life. Never”.

“This concerns both the federal executive power and the regional one. As in the story with the campus – you have to prove that everyone needs it and in this place. And then do it. So it is with foreign agents. You prove it first,” he added, recalling the recent order of Russian President Vladimir Putin to analyze the legislation on foreign agents: “I understand that he is also not satisfied that someone out there decided something on some whim.”

He also commented on the inclusion in the list of media-foreign agents gallerist Marat Gelman.

“Of course, we are friends with him, and I sincerely sympathize with him. And I also don’t understand what this nonsense is. And this applies not only to Marat. There are many people and organizations there. The same “Rosbalt”. There are many examples. As they said before, the kinks are in place. To avoid them, we must have a strong judiciary,” he concluded.

Recall that earlier Putin instructed the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General’s Office to analyze the legislation on foreign agents, the practice of its application, as well as the issue of excluding foreign agents from the “register of relevant organizations” by May 1 this year. The head of state also instructed “if necessary, to submit proposals for improving legislation” on foreign agents.

The total number of publications, journalists and companies included in this register has reached 115.

On October 15, 2021, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation included the founder of IA Rosbalt in its register of foreign agents. This decision caused a great public outcry – the agency received support from the professional community, political and public figures. In public speeches, they stated the need to change the legislation on foreign agents or completely abolish it.

In November 2021, a draft amendment to the legislation on foreign media agents was submitted to the State Duma, Nikolai Novichkov is one of its authors. According to him, the amendments to the law on the mass media submitted to the State Duma, which clarify the concept and assignment of the status of a foreign agent, are one of the building blocks of a huge wall to protect the rights of Russians. According to the parliamentarian, only the court should decide on the inclusion of the media in the list of foreign agents.