Soft Force

Since December 1, 2022, a unified register of foreign agents has come into effect. All categories and prohibitions that existed before are now combined into one. The label “foreign agent” can be applied to any individual, legal entity, as well as any unregistered association of citizens who participate in political or “other” activity, receive support, or “fall under foreign influence in other forms.” Political activity means: - participation in organizing and holding public events; participation in activities aimed at obtaining a certain result on elections, monitoring the election processes, participation in activities of political parties; - public appeals to public authorities, their officials, as well as other actions that influence authorities’ activities; dissemination of opinions about decisions made by public authorities and their policy; - formation of social and political views and beliefs, including conducting public opinion polls, publishing its outcomes, or conducting other sociological researches; - involvement of citizens, including minors, in the above activities. Other activity means: - purposeful collection of information about military activity of the Russian Federation; - distribution of printed, audio, audiovisual, and other messages and materials intended for the general public; and/or participation in the creation of these messages and materials; - funding activities from paragraph 2. Who acknowledges “foreign agent”: Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Responsibilities and Restrictions: A foreign agent must indicate the status when carrying out activities and publishing information related to the functions of a “foreign agent,” and provide reports on its activities both publicly and to the Ministry of Justice. A foreign agent cannot hold positions in the state and municipal service, gain access to state secrets, participate in public procurement, election campaigns, carry out educational activities for minors, conduct environmental and anti-corruption expertise, organize public events, be a member of advisory councils under government bodies, and insure its money. Administrative law: One administrative article is applied for all cases—Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (Violation of the procedure for the activities of a foreign agent), which includes 9 parts. It anticipates a fine of up to 50,000 Russian rubles for citizens, up to 300,000 Russian rubles for “officials,” and up to 500,000 Russian rubles for legal entities; except part 5, when parties affiliated to a foreign agent not complying with labeling obligations can receive a fine of 10,000 to 30,000 Russian rubles. When an offense is committed by a foreigner or a stateless person, he or she is to be under expulsion from the Russian Federation. Offenses include but not limited to: implementation of “foreign agent” activities by a person not included in the register; non-submission of information by a “foreign agent” to the authorized body; non-compliance with the requirements of “foreign agent” marking; failure to comply with the labeling requirements for founders, participants, and leaders of “foreign agent” public association; violation of the terms and procedure for “foreign agent” report publication about “foreign agent” activities; failure to comply with the requirements for the establishment of a legal entity for new “foreign agents”; failure to comply with other “foreign agent” restrictions. Criminal law: If a person or organization does not submit the documents required for inclusion in the register of foreign agents, and has already been brought to administrative responsibility for this twice a year, it implies a fine of up to 300,000 Russian rubles or imprisonment for up to two years (part 1 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). If a foreign agent does not fulfill its obligations stipulated by the law or violates the order of activity, and has already been brought to administrative responsibility under Article 19.34 twice a year, it implies a fine of up to 300,000 Russian rubles or imprisonment for up to two years (part 2 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). If a person or organization that conducts a targeted collection of information about military activities of the Russian Federation, does not submit the documents necessary for inclusion in the register of foreign agents, it implies a fine of up to 300,000 Russian rubles or imprisonment for up to five years (part 3 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).