Volgograd activists demand to abolish law on foreign media agents

On August 29, in Heroes' Alley in central Volgograd, four activists held solo pickets criticizing the law on foreign agents. The inclusion of independent and opposition media into the list of foreign agents dooms readers to receive information only from pro-government media, the picketers assert, calling for the cancellation of the law on foreign media agents.

"The law on the media-foreign agents is 'shameful for the state and the society'," the activist, Tamara Grodnikova, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "This law is aimed at further extermination of sources of information other than pro-government ones. I hope that human rights defenders will manage to create a precedent for a broad public and professional discussion; and this law will be annulled in the nearest future," she said.

Vladimir Telpuk, another activist, has suggested that "the mass media shutdown is related to the elections" scheduled for the coming September. "The media that tell the truth are purposefully recognized as foreign agents so that their voices are not heard," he told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 29, 2021 at 07:01 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.