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| ‘I fear for my loved ones’: Russian BBC journalists shaken by ‘foreign agents’ label | ‘I fear for my loved ones’: Russian BBC journalists shaken by ‘foreign agents’ label |
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| Journalists now effectively banished say Kremlin’s aim is to make them ‘toxic’ to anyone thinking of speaking to media | Journalists now effectively banished say Kremlin’s aim is to make them ‘toxic’ to anyone thinking of speaking to media |
| Russian BBC journalists who have been labelled “foreign agents” by Vladimir Putin’s regime have spoken of being unable to see their children, forced to sell homes and in effect being banished from their home country. | Russian BBC journalists who have been labelled “foreign agents” by Vladimir Putin’s regime have spoken of being unable to see their children, forced to sell homes and in effect being banished from their home country. |
| They are now meant to report their finances to the state, down to supermarket receipts, while there have already been practical effects for family members inside Russia. The journalists said the label was designed to make them “toxic” to any Russians thinking about speaking to independent media. | They are now meant to report their finances to the state, down to supermarket receipts, while there have already been practical effects for family members inside Russia. The journalists said the label was designed to make them “toxic” to any Russians thinking about speaking to independent media. |
| The designation in effect bars them from returning to their home country because of the risk of arrest. The tactic of branding journalists as foreign agents is now regularly deployed by the Russian authorities. Seven BBC journalists have been given the label, most of them since January. | The designation in effect bars them from returning to their home country because of the risk of arrest. The tactic of branding journalists as foreign agents is now regularly deployed by the Russian authorities. Seven BBC journalists have been given the label, most of them since January. |
| Six spoke to the Guardian. They all now live outside Russia, as the BBC moved operations out of the country after the 2022 Ukraine invasion. Ilya Abishev said his “big personal problem” was that he could not see his adult children. He explained they had no automatic right to settle in the EU, “while I can’t go to Russia because it is quite dangerous”. | Six spoke to the Guardian. They all now live outside Russia, as the BBC moved operations out of the country after the 2022 Ukraine invasion. Ilya Abishev said his “big personal problem” was that he could not see his adult children. He explained they had no automatic right to settle in the EU, “while I can’t go to Russia because it is quite dangerous”. |
| “I don’t rule out that, in the near future, my family may face problems in Russia – as children of an ‘enemy of the people’, to use the Soviet-era phrase,” he said. “It is necessary for me to resolve the issue of personal property in Russia because it can be confiscated at any time.” | “I don’t rule out that, in the near future, my family may face problems in Russia – as children of an ‘enemy of the people’, to use the Soviet-era phrase,” he said. “It is necessary for me to resolve the issue of personal property in Russia because it can be confiscated at any time.” |
| Anastasia Lotareva is also experiencing serious practical implications. “I no longer have a proper bank account and I cannot help my mother in Russia,” she said. “Returning is no longer an option for me.” While there is no official entry ban, in practice it is too risky for journalists listed as foreign agents to travel to Russia. | Anastasia Lotareva is also experiencing serious practical implications. “I no longer have a proper bank account and I cannot help my mother in Russia,” she said. “Returning is no longer an option for me.” While there is no official entry ban, in practice it is too risky for journalists listed as foreign agents to travel to Russia. |
| “My dad is a professor of chemistry at a university,” said Olga Ivshina, who has written extensively about Russian military losses in Ukraine. “Within just an hour of my designation, his name was all over the local media. By the next day, some neighbours had stopped greeting him in the morning. | “My dad is a professor of chemistry at a university,” said Olga Ivshina, who has written extensively about Russian military losses in Ukraine. “Within just an hour of my designation, his name was all over the local media. By the next day, some neighbours had stopped greeting him in the morning. |
| “It was very painful on a personal level, because some people – even some people I considered friends – stopped talking to me, fearing retribution from the state.” | “It was very painful on a personal level, because some people – even some people I considered friends – stopped talking to me, fearing retribution from the state.” |
| Anyone given the label is obliged to mark all their online communications, including in WhatsApp groups or Instagram posts unrelated to their work, as coming from a foreign agent. Failing to do so leads to fines and eventual criminal prosecution. “In about a year’s time I will be charged with a criminal offence for failure to comply with this law,” said Andrey Kozenko. “It is discriminatory. If I lived in Russia, for me it would mean a massive defeat of my rights: from a ban on participation in elections to a ban on teaching. | Anyone given the label is obliged to mark all their online communications, including in WhatsApp groups or Instagram posts unrelated to their work, as coming from a foreign agent. Failing to do so leads to fines and eventual criminal prosecution. “In about a year’s time I will be charged with a criminal offence for failure to comply with this law,” said Andrey Kozenko. “It is discriminatory. If I lived in Russia, for me it would mean a massive defeat of my rights: from a ban on participation in elections to a ban on teaching. |
| “Every three months I have to report to the Russian authorities how I spend ‘foreign’ money, right down to my supermarket receipts. If I transfer money to my mother or sister, they, too, potentially will be given the ‘foreign agent’ status.” | “Every three months I have to report to the Russian authorities how I spend ‘foreign’ money, right down to my supermarket receipts. If I transfer money to my mother or sister, they, too, potentially will be given the ‘foreign agent’ status.” |
| Lotareva said it had affected her relationship with Russia. “I love it deeply,” she said. “Every single night, I dream about my home. And yet, I will likely never see it again until these repressive laws are repealed. I cannot take the risk of imprisonment. I have two children and, unfortunately, I cannot make this decision just for myself. It is painful. | Lotareva said it had affected her relationship with Russia. “I love it deeply,” she said. “Every single night, I dream about my home. And yet, I will likely never see it again until these repressive laws are repealed. I cannot take the risk of imprisonment. I have two children and, unfortunately, I cannot make this decision just for myself. It is painful. |
| “I haven’t seen my mother for three years, and I know that I won’t see her for a long time to come – travelling to third countries to meet with me is not an option for her. And no one will grant her a visa to come to Europe because, due to sanctions, it is extremely difficult for Russians to get these visas.” | “I haven’t seen my mother for three years, and I know that I won’t see her for a long time to come – travelling to third countries to meet with me is not an option for her. And no one will grant her a visa to come to Europe because, due to sanctions, it is extremely difficult for Russians to get these visas.” |
| BBC executives are concerned about the journalists travelling abroad to meet family, because of the risk of being extradited to Russia. Some journalists had to leave the BBC when the corporation moved its operations out of Moscow to Riga. | BBC executives are concerned about the journalists travelling abroad to meet family, because of the risk of being extradited to Russia. Some journalists had to leave the BBC when the corporation moved its operations out of Moscow to Riga. |
| “Many of us retained an inner faith and hope that once the war ends, the situation inside Russia could somehow normalise, and we would then be able to return home,” said Ilya Barabanov, who was labelled a foreign agent last year. “After receiving the status of a foreign agent, it became clear that this would definitely not happen in the foreseeable future. | “Many of us retained an inner faith and hope that once the war ends, the situation inside Russia could somehow normalise, and we would then be able to return home,” said Ilya Barabanov, who was labelled a foreign agent last year. “After receiving the status of a foreign agent, it became clear that this would definitely not happen in the foreseeable future. |
| “At the moment, approximately every third ‘foreign agent’ in Russia has a criminal case instigated against them. Criminal prosecution is accompanied by searches that can take place at your previous place of residence or at your relatives’. So, first and foremost, I certainly fear for my loved ones.” | “At the moment, approximately every third ‘foreign agent’ in Russia has a criminal case instigated against them. Criminal prosecution is accompanied by searches that can take place at your previous place of residence or at your relatives’. So, first and foremost, I certainly fear for my loved ones.” |
| Elizaveta Fokht, labelled a foreign agent in January, said that it affected their work, because it risked making them “toxic for other people” inside Russia – which she said was the regime’s aim. “They want to break this connection between us and our audience and to stop other people from becoming independent journalists,” she said. “It’s an effective tool, but the good news is that we’ve proved that we’re resilient. There are still people who need us to do our job. This is the only way to fight back.” | Elizaveta Fokht, labelled a foreign agent in January, said that it affected their work, because it risked making them “toxic for other people” inside Russia – which she said was the regime’s aim. “They want to break this connection between us and our audience and to stop other people from becoming independent journalists,” she said. “It’s an effective tool, but the good news is that we’ve proved that we’re resilient. There are still people who need us to do our job. This is the only way to fight back.” |
| In response to the latest foreign agent designations earlier this year, Jonathan Munro, the BBC News global director, said: “The BBC wholly condemns this ongoing attempt to intimidate and silence our journalists. Aimed at having a disruptive and damaging effect, these arbitrary designations can’t stop our journalists doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime, and our reporters will continue serving our Russian-speaking audiences just as they have done for almost 80 years: independently, fairly and fearlessly. We are proud of all our journalists. We will challenge these actions by the Russian authorities in the courts. These journalists have our total support.” |