Pet Peeves Become Major Irritation

Michael Hedges May 10, 2021 - Follow on Twitter

That autocrats and the like-minded are averse to criticism is well-established. The roster of bad actors is long, grim and known to all. News outlets are regular targets. Tactics have been shifting. Putting up with inconvenient news reports with court judgments and the occasional street beating as disincentives isn’t providing the desired results. More toughness is the answer the tough guys want.

A local court in upheld the Russian Ministry of Justice designation of “foreign agent” for Denis Kamalyagin, chief editor of regional online news portal Pskovskaya Gubernia, reported independent news portal Meduza (May 7). He had been added to the “foreign agent” media registry in December with two other Russian media workers. Previously the “foreign agent” label was typically ascribed to foreign based NGOs, like Amnesty International, but the designation, which contains punitive measures, has constantly evolved.

Through a mobile phone service Mr. Kamalyagin transferred money in January to several local politicians. He then, as required by the “foreign agents” rules, reported the payments to the Ministry of Justice. The politicians, then, would also become “foreign agents,” required to note such in any campaign advertising. The point of the sting, said Mr. Kamalyagin, reported RFE/RL Russian (May 6), was to demonstrate the laws selective application. Only after this became public, the politicians returned the money.

In effect for nearly a decade, the “foreign agents” law is regularly updated with new targets and specifications, most recently focused on news outlets and individual media workers. Very tough Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor (read: censor) added its bit at the end of last year requiring news outlets so designated to append lengthy text, audio and video noting the “foreign agent” label to all news reports.

At the end of April a Moscow court ordered defense analyst and former reporter Ivan Safronov to remain in pre-trial detention. He has been charged with “high treason.” His lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, was charged with disclosing preliminary hearing testimony by referring to charges against Mr. Safronov as “absurd.” Before taking an advisory position with space agency Roskosmos in May 2020 he had been a well-regarded defense and space industry reporter for business outlets Vedomosti and Kommersant. He was arrested in July 2020.

A week earlier (April 23) the Ministry of Justice added news portals Meduza, Pasmi and student newspaper DOXA to the list of “foreign agents.” Online outlet Meduza is highly respected for its Russia reporting. After being chased out of Russia several years ago much of the Meduza staff relocated to Riga, Latvia. Pasmi, known for anti-corruption reporting, is less known outside of Russia.

Clearly by design, designating Meduza as a “foreign agent” has more than just complicated its existence. Its advertising revenue collapsed as no Russian company could risk sending money their way. Without other revenue sources it has turned to crowdfunding, which has been targeted by hackers. Reporters and staff who remained in Russia have been cut loose, paying full salaries under the restrictions being impossible. The Moscow office closed.

"We have a deep respect for every media,” said Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Lenta (April 29). “But the modern information market is built so that the disappearance of any media will not be greatly felt. Let's be frank.”

Meduza came into being in 2014 when several reporters and editors at Russian news portal Lenta exited on an ownership change. Like many other Russian news outlets, Lenta had gone through several owners, circling ever closer to the Russian political establishment. Those offering even mildly critical reporting were largely ignored: state media, holding the party line, attracted significant audiences. “The state begrudgingly tolerated us,” said Meduza investigative editor Alexey Kovalev to Foreign Policy (May 6).

That tolerance ended decisively with the suspicious poisoning of anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, his evacuation to Germany, subsequent re-arrest in Russia and ever-present public demonstrations of support. The international attention brought foreign news organizations and individual reporters in Russia under scrutiny. The Ministry of Justice levied stiff fines on US-Congress funded broadcaster RFE/RL under the “foreign agents” rules. Then certain established Russian outlets - state broadcasters excepted - paid attention. Of course, there are elections in Russia this September.

“To get into the (“foreign agent”) register, foreign funding and publications of any kind are enough,” wrote business newspaper Kommersant (May 8). “The law really only speaks about ‘messages and materials intended for an unlimited number of people.’ They can even be photos of pets on Instagram.”

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• Hot Topics - Censorship

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• Hot Topics - Media in the Russian Federation