Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a controversial law today that allows journalists and Internet users to be declared "foreign agents", which was condemned by non-governmental organizations for the protection of human rights.
The law was adopted by the parliament at the end of November and will come into force immediately.
The Ministry of Justice will now be able to label as "foreign agents" individuals working for the media classified as "foreign agents".
Nine non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, expressed concern that not only journalists could be targeted by the law, but also any blogger or internet user who benefits financially from the media in question.
In the new law, non-governmental organizations see an additional danger of censorship and a threat to freedom of expression.
"It will become a powerful tool to suppress opposition voices," the non-governmental organizations said in a statement last month.
Since 2012, Russian law has allowed authorities to label associations that receive money from abroad and have "political activity" as "foreign agents." In 2017, this was extended to media working in Russia.
Under the threat of heavy fines and work bans, this law demands strict administrative measures from "foreign agents", as well as the mention of the status of "foreign agent" in all publications or reports.
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