The courts will consider the first administrative cases against individuals-foreign agents

For the first time, Russian courts will consider cases against individuals-foreign agents under Article 19.7.5-4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. The first administrative cases were initiated against businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, journalist Yevgeny Kiselyov and chess player Garry Kasparov – they were among the first to be included in the register of individuals-foreign agents.

Art. 19.7.5-4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses was introduced on February 24, 2021. It involves punishment for violation of duties by individuals-foreign agents. All the first cases were initiated under the second part of this article – for failure to indicate the status of a foreign agent. As noted by human rights activist Pavel Chikov in Telegramprotocols under the article are authorized to draw up employees of the Ministry of Justice.

Cases against Mr. Khodorkovskymister Kiseleva and mister Kasparov will be considered on December 2, 8 and 12 in the Meshchansky, Tverskoy and Khamovnichesky courts of Moscow, respectively. They face 10-30 thousand fines. Mr. Chikov said that in total under Art. 19.7.5-4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses will consider four cases, but did not specify in respect of whom the fourth protocol was drawn up.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Yevgeny Kiselev and Garry Kasparov were included in the register of individuals-foreign agents in April-May 2022. The basis is the conduct of political activity. All of them indicated Ukraine as a source of foreign funding.

Leonid Uvarchev