The State Duma adopted in the first reading bills on strengthening control over foreign agents

State Duma deputies in the first reading approved bills on empowering the Ministry of Justice with the function of monitoring legislation on foreign agents and on banning foreign agents from receiving property support from the state. Also today, in the first reading, a draft law on fines up to 300 thousand rubles was adopted. for non-compliance with regulations in the field of legislation on foreign agents.

The first of the draft laws is proposed to assign to the Ministry of Justice the powers to exercise state control over compliance with the legislation on foreign agents. At present, the ministry exercises state control exclusively over the activities of foreign agents.

“When information is received that someone, through their actions or inaction, contributes to a violation of Russian law by a foreign agent, the Ministry of Justice will be able to issue a warning to him indicating the violation committed and the period for its elimination, which is at least a month,” one of the authors of the bill, the chairman of the commission, said. State Duma to investigate the facts of interference of foreign states in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation Vasily Piskarev.

The second bill provides for a ban on Russian citizens recognized as foreign agents to receive state property support. Now foreign agents are deprived only of the right to receive financial support from the state.

In addition, it is proposed to amend the Code of Administrative Offenses and establish penalties for failure to comply with the Ministry of Justice’s instructions to eliminate violations of the law on foreign agents within the prescribed period. If the law is adopted, citizens may face a fine of up to 50 thousand rubles, officials – up to 100 thousand rubles, legal entities – up to 300 thousand rubles.

According to Vasily Piskarev, these measures will eliminate any loopholes and gaps “for those who are under foreign influence and are trying to circumvent our laws.” Total in Art. 11 of the Law “On Control over the Activities of Persons Under Foreign Influence” lists 18 prohibitions related to the status of a foreign agent. According to Mr. Piskarev, “foreign agents are trying to get around them, using various intermediaries in the form of individuals and legal entities.”

According to the Ministry of Justice, in 2022 in Russia foreign agents recognized 1.75 times more often than a year earlier, they were fined 2.7 times more often, and the amount of fines imposed on them increased 60 times at once. So, last year, 188 people received the status of a foreign agent against 108 in 2021.

Read more about tightening laws on foreign agents in material “b”.