President Putin approves 'foreign agent' media law

Russian President Putin on November 25 approved into law new measures allowing the listing of a number of foreign news agencies operating in Russia as "foreign agents".

According to Reuters, this move is in response to the US putting unacceptable pressure on Russian media.

The new law was passed quickly in both the lower and upper houses of the Russian parliament over the past two weeks. The text, after being approved by President Putin, was posted on the Russian government's online database of laws and came into force on the day of publication.

Under the new law, media outlets that receive financial assistance from foreign countries or organizations will be considered "foreign agents." The decision on which media outlets are considered "foreign agents" will be made by the Ministry of Justice, Sputnik news agency reported.

Moscow will now force some foreign news agencies to publish a notice that the articles they provide to Russians are the work of "foreign agents" and to disclose their activities and sources of funding.

Previously, the Russian Ministry of Justice said it had notified Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and several other agencies about the possibility of being listed as "foreign agents".

Sputnik reported that the above measure is in response to the Russian news agency RT in the US being forced to register as a foreign agent, at the request of the US Department of Justice earlier this week.

According to Vietnamnet.vn