MOSCOW – Russian authorities have issued an arrest warrant for journalist Yulia Taratuta, a presenter with exiled broadcaster TV Rain, accusing her of violating the country’s controversial “foreign agent” law, Mediazona reported Monday.
Taratuta was officially labeled a “foreign agent” by Russia’s Justice Ministry in December 2022, a designation that forces individuals to submit detailed financial disclosures and mark all content — including social media — with a disclaimer. The law, introduced in 2012 and expanded multiple times, has been widely criticized for its chilling effect on free speech and independent journalism.
The Moscow Investigative Committee has now filed criminal charges against Taratuta after she reportedly failed to file financial reports required by the law. She was fined twice last summer, but her continued noncompliance and residency outside Russia prompted authorities to escalate the case.
If convicted, Taratuta faces up to two years in prison for failing to fulfill obligations under the foreign agent designation.
The law, rooted in Soviet-era tactics, has been broadened over time. Just last week, President Vladimir Putin signed new restrictions, barring designated foreign agents from participating in educational activities or receiving public funding.
Since the law’s inception, nearly 1,000 individuals, media outlets, and organizations, including The Moscow Times, have been added to the growing list of “foreign agents.”
