Putin signs Bill which may tag VOA, other media outlets as foreign agents

In a tit-for-tat move to a demand made by the U.S. to a Kremlin-funded TV channel, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill allowing Russia to register international media outlets as foreign agents.

Reports say the bill by Putin came into effect after the upper chamber of the Russian parliament adopted it Wednesday.

According to reports, Russia’s Justice Ministry last week warned U.S. government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, along with its regional outlets, that they could be designated as foreign agents under the new law, without even allowing the law to come into effect.

Read also: Washington receives Kremlin warning not to restrict Russia news outlets in the US

Last month, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman of Russian President revealed that Kremlin sent a note to Washington warning against restricting the operations of Russian news outlets in America.

Peskov who revealed that Russian state-funded RT television network and Sputnik news agency had come under “unprecedented pressure” in the U.S stated that Moscow could respond quid pro quo should such restrictions be carried out again.

Putin’s spokesman says the U.S. hampers the Russian news outlets’ operation in violation of media freedom, “actions on the basis of the principle of reciprocity can’t be excluded.” He added that Russia respects press freedom and treats foreign media equally.

 

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