Russia's Justice Ministry on August 28 added comedian Alexander Nezlobin, former municipal deputy and Yabloko party member Konstantin Gorozhanko from the Pskov region, and journalist Alexei Mochalov to its register of 'foreign agents', Radio Liberty reported.
The same list included immigration consultant and US immigration expert Marina Bazilyuk (Sokolovskaya), the internet project 'Byt ili' and the literary blog 'Knigizhar', according to Ekho.
The 'foreign agents' law was adopted in 2012. Initially, it allowed the Justice Ministry to designate non-commercial organizations receiving foreign funding and engaged in political activity. Later, media outlets and individuals were added to the registry, including those who do not receive money from abroad but are 'under foreign influence'. The legislation does not specify what exactly constitutes foreign influence.
The Justice Ministry's registry currently contains more than 1,200 people and organizations. Inclusion on the list entails a significant loss of rights. Human rights advocates call the 'foreign agents' law repressive, and criminal cases are regularly opened in Russia against citizens accused of failing to fulfill 'foreign agent' obligations.