A screen shows the results of the vote on the media law during a session of the Russian State Duma on Nov. 15. (Sergei Ilnitsky/European Pressphoto Agency-EFE/Rex/Shutterstock)Russian lawmakers voted unanimously Wednesday to pass legislation allowing authorities to force any foreign media organization to register as a “foreign agent” under penalty of fines or a possible ban on operations in Russia. The law, which is focused on media, is considerably broader than comparable U.S. legislation, which targets only state-funded organizations. In a statement, the Justice Department said the U.S. legislation, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), merely informs the public without inhibiting “freedom of expression.”Under the new law, foreign media organizations identified by Russian Justice Ministry would be forced to register as foreign agents, then provide financial accounts and label their reports as having been produced by foreign agents. Foreign media that do not register when requested can lose permission to work in Russia.

Source: Washington Post November 15, 2017 11:03 UTC