Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on criminal responsibility of up to five years of incarceration for gross violations of the foreign agents bill by individuals, media workers, as well as by members of unregistered political unions, TASS reported. The document was published on Wednesday on the official web portal of legal information.
Amendments are introduced to Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation which provides sanctions for willful evasion of inclusion in the foreign agents list. Those foreign agents who have already been previously held administratively liable for similar perpetrations will face criminal penalty.
An unregistered public association conducting political activity with foreign financing that evades inclusion in the foreign agents list will face a fine of up to 300,000 rubles (about $4,000 – TASS) or equaling the salary or other income of a perpetrator over the period of up to two years, or up to 480 hours of community service, or up to two years of correctional labor or incarceration.
Failure to submit to the Justice Ministry an application (notification) on the inclusion in the foreign agents list or a report on activity related to performing functions of a foreign agent is punished by a fine of up to 300,000 rubles, or up to 480 hours of community service, or up to five years of correctional labor or incarceration.
Individuals who violated the operating procedures of media outlets acting as foreign agents and who have already been previously held administratively liable for similar perpetrations may be subject to criminal sanctions, including up to two years of incarceration. They may be fined up to 300,000 rubles or the amount equaling the salary or other income of a perpetrator over the period of up to two years. Additionally, they may face up to 480 hours of community service, or up to two years of correctional labor.
The law will become effective on March 1, 2021.
