Russia: Olesya Gerasimenko Designated a "Foreign Agent"
Women Press Freedom denounces the labeling of journalists as a blatant attempt to suppress independent journalism
Location: Russia, Moscow
Date: July 5, 2024
Exiled Russian journalist Olesya Gerasimenko has been added to the Kremlin’s list of "foreign agents." This move is part of a broader trend of targeting journalists and media representatives under the "foreign agent" label, particularly those who continue to report while in exile. The label stigmatizes journalists within Russia, complicates their work, and subjects them to increased scrutiny and bureaucratic obstacles. Women Press Freedom condemns this repressive measure and stands in solidarity with Gerasimenko and all journalists facing persecution. We call on the international community to condemn these actions and support efforts to uphold journalistic integrity and freedom in Russia.
On July 5, 2024, the Russian Ministry of Justice announced that Olesya Gerasimenko, a journalist working for Verstka, had been added to its register of "foreign agents."
Gerasimenko, who is also a correspondent for the BBC Russian Service, joins the list alongside investigative journalist Sergei Yezhov, lawyer Grigory Vaypan, St. Petersburg deputy and LGBT activist Sergei Troshin, and former municipal deputy Fyodor Utkin.
The Ministry claims those listed were spreading “false information” about decisions made by Russian authorities. All but Troshin spoke out against the invasion of Ukraine and “discredited” the army. Troshin was labeled for supposedly “carrying out propaganda of LGBT relations.”
Upon learning of her designation, Gerasimenko, who now lives in Latvia, stated, "This label is a direct attack on my ability to report freely and truthfully. It is an attempt to silence independent voices and undermine the role of journalism in holding power to account."
In Russia, the "foreign agent" designation is often applied to individuals and organizations receiving foreign funding and involved in political activities. This label imposes stringent reporting requirements and carries a heavy stigma, severely hindering the ability of those designated to operate freely. Journalists and media representatives comprise the largest professional group in the Russian Ministry of Justice's "foreign agents" register, constituting over 40% of the list.
Women Press Freedom has documented several instances where the designation has been used to stigmatize and marginalize women journalists, such as Anna Narinskaya and Asya Kazantseva. This reflects an alarming pattern of repression against the press that continues to escalate.
As of early March 2024, the number of foreign agents in Russia has increased 3.5 times over the past three years, reaching 579 registry entries, according to the Kontur.Fokus service. This includes individuals, companies, media outlets, and non-profit organizations, with citizens making up the vast majority (409 entries, or 70.6%). For comparison, at the beginning of March 2021, the Ministry of Justice registry included only five individuals and 77 legal entities.
This label, increasingly used to target exiled dissidents and journalists, is part of a broader pattern of transnational repression by the Kremlin. It aims to silence and intimidate vocal critics of the government, particularly those opposed to Russia's war in Ukraine. Beyond the foreign agents' list, Moscow employs tactics such as issuing arrest warrants for journalists and activists, adding their names to terrorist lists, and even resorting to assassination attempts, as evidenced by the suspected poisoning of Russian journalists in exile in Europe.
The continued designation of journalists like Olesya Gerasimenko as "foreign agents" exemplifies the Russian government's efforts to control the narrative and suppress independent journalism. Women Press Freedom condemns the use of the "foreign agent" label against journalists. We stand in solidarity with Gerasimenko and all journalists facing persecution, calling for international condemnation of these repressive measures and support for those fighting to uphold journalistic integrity in Russia.
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