Russia on Friday said the head of the independent TV channel Dozhd, along with two associate journalists, a “foreign agent” in the latest crackdown on civil society.
The names of Natalia Sindieva, Vladimir Romansky and Ekaterina Kotrikadze have appeared in the latest list of “foreign agents” of the Russian Ministry of Justice
The ministry said they were added due to their “political activities”.
Launched in 2008, TV Dozhd covered demonstrations and protests in Russia and last year the channel was labeled a “foreign agent”.
All major independent media in Russia, including Moscow radio station Echo and Dozed TV, have been closed or suspended operations in the country.
Dozhd closed his operations in Russia and suspended broadcasts from Russia with an emotional broadcast on March 3, less than fifteen days after the start of the conflict in Ukraine.
The channel resumed broadcasting from studios in neighboring Latvia on 18 July.
Attorney Mikhail Benyash and YouTuber Ivan Yakovina were also listed as “foreign agents” on Friday.
Since the start of the Ukrainian conflict, Russia has introduced a law that provides for up to 15 years of imprisonment for the dissemination of information about the army that the authorities consider false.
The Russian opposition has dwindled in recent months, with most of its members either in exile or in prison.
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