The Russian government has fined the U.S. government-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) for violating “foreign agent” laws.
The $150,000 fine was issued by Russia’s media regulator, the Federal Communications Regulatory Agency (Roskomnadzor).
Russia first classified Voice of America’s (VOA) sister organization Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as a foreign agent in 2017. Some say this has made it more difficult for the station to work in Russia. The Russian government has imposed several fines on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in recent weeks, Reuters said.
The foreign agent law gives the Russian government broad flexibility to impose bureaucratic hurdles on NGOs that receive foreign funding, Reuters said.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said it plans to appeal this latest fine.
“We have court hearings about three times a week and we are fined each Time,” Andrei Shary, head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Russian language unit, said in an interview with the Russian News Agency (RIA). “The company thinks this is unfair. Every court decision will be appealed.”
Kelu Chao, acting CEO of the U.S. General Administration for Global Media (USAGM), told Voice of America that “the latest move by the Kremlin is shown to be an attempt to limit USAGM’s ability to report independently and objectively from within Russia. This is unacceptable.”
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) voiced support for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
McCaul told the Voice of America’s Russian-language group, “We are seeing the Putin regime suppressing free speech and suppressing the ability of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Voice of America to operate in Moscow.”
McCaul also noted, “I think you’re going to see the U.S. Congress take very strong steps, but I would urge the (U.S.) president to discuss this directly with (Russian President) Putin, to discuss and condemn the issue of free speech and access to truth in Russia. That’s the role of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.”
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