Designated Foreign Agent Radio Liberty Says Moscow Office Searched By Bailiffs

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2021) The news outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), registered in Russia as a foreign agent, said its Moscow office was searched by court officers on Friday.

In April, Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor said it had drawn up nearly 400 protocols against Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty over failure to label its materials as produced by a foreign agent, with a total fine of $969,000. The RFE/RL claims that from January to May, Roskomnadzor filed 520 protocols. The outlet also claims enforcement proceedings have been launched for 10 court rulings, with the sum total of fines being $67,800.

"Agents of Russia's court bailiff service have initiated enforcement proceedings against RFE/RL's Russian branch over unpaid fines accrued because of violations of the country's controversial 'foreign agents' laws," the news outlet said on its website, adding that the search lasted for two hours and did not interfere with the bureau's work.

Under Russian law, materials by foreign media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent should be labeled as such while being propagated on Russian Federal territory to inform readers that content shared by such media may be pursuing the interests of foreign countries.