Putin hits back on RT restrictions in US
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed amendments into law that will enable foreign media outlets operating in Russia to be listed as “foreign agents”. The country's justice ministry list includes Radio Free Europe and Voice of America, Reuters reported yesterday.
Late in November, Putin signed the amendments in retaliation to the US government ordering Russian TV network Russia Today (RT) to register its American office under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), according to Russian officials.
The move had earlier been described as an “attack on freedom of speech” by Putin.
RT has claimed it is being forced out of the US media market.
Under the new law, media outlets that receive financial assistance from foreign states or organisations may be recognised as foreign agents.
Russia's justice ministry at the time said it will make the decisions on which outlets will be classified as “foreign agents”.
The US law now implies that media outlets classified as foreign agents will be made to publish a notice that their materials are provided by a foreign agent, report on their activities, submit information about the composition of their management and provide expense reports.
The Russian justice ministry had previously said that it had told Voice of America, the Current Time broadcaster, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and others that they may be included in the foreign agents list.
A Kremlin spokesman had stated that any violations against Russian journalists “shall not remain unanswered”.
Last month, Vladimir Putin threatened to hit back if the US tried to crackdown on its media outlets in the country.
The Russian President said: “In this case we will do it only in kind and quite quickly.
“As soon as we see concrete steps limiting the activities of our mass media, a tit-for-tat response will follow immediately.”
News of the new law used against RT came after claims Russia interfered in the US presidential election and repeated allegations of ties between Russia and Donald Trump's campaign team.
Russia has repeatedly denied US intelligence agencies' conclusions that Moscow meddled in the election.
Donald Trump has also denied any collusion between his campaign and Russian officials.
STAFF REPORTER
Late in November, Putin signed the amendments in retaliation to the US government ordering Russian TV network Russia Today (RT) to register its American office under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), according to Russian officials.
The move had earlier been described as an “attack on freedom of speech” by Putin.
RT has claimed it is being forced out of the US media market.
Under the new law, media outlets that receive financial assistance from foreign states or organisations may be recognised as foreign agents.
Russia's justice ministry at the time said it will make the decisions on which outlets will be classified as “foreign agents”.
The US law now implies that media outlets classified as foreign agents will be made to publish a notice that their materials are provided by a foreign agent, report on their activities, submit information about the composition of their management and provide expense reports.
The Russian justice ministry had previously said that it had told Voice of America, the Current Time broadcaster, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and others that they may be included in the foreign agents list.
A Kremlin spokesman had stated that any violations against Russian journalists “shall not remain unanswered”.
Last month, Vladimir Putin threatened to hit back if the US tried to crackdown on its media outlets in the country.
The Russian President said: “In this case we will do it only in kind and quite quickly.
“As soon as we see concrete steps limiting the activities of our mass media, a tit-for-tat response will follow immediately.”
News of the new law used against RT came after claims Russia interfered in the US presidential election and repeated allegations of ties between Russia and Donald Trump's campaign team.
Russia has repeatedly denied US intelligence agencies' conclusions that Moscow meddled in the election.
Donald Trump has also denied any collusion between his campaign and Russian officials.
STAFF REPORTER
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