The State Duma in the third, final reading adopted a bill according to which «foreign agents» will be judged under one article of the Administrative Code. This was reported in the telegram channel of the Duma Committee on Foreign Intervention.
The amendments clarified the application of Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. If earlier only non-profit organizations that violated the law on “foreign agents” could be judged under it, then after the unification of the register of the Ministry of Justice, protocols under this article can be drawn up for everyone whom officials consider “foreign agents”. Accordingly, the articles 19.7.5-2, 19.7.5-4and 19.34.1 The Code of Administrative Offenses will no longer apply.
«Foreign Agent» and/or affiliated. Why you can be in the register of the Ministry of Justice under the new law
In addition, the deputies increased the fine for disseminating information without marking the status of «foreign agent». Now they will amount to 30 to 50 thousand rubles for citizens, from 100 to 300 thousand rubles for officials and from 300 to 500 thousand rubles for legal entities. There are similar penalties for other violations of the «foreign agent» laws, such as late reporting. Previously, for the absence of a mark on the status of a «foreign agent» they could be fined only 5 thousand rubles, for violation of reporting — 10 thousand rubles.
At the final stage of consideration in the State Duma, there is also a bill providing for the onset of criminal liability for repeated violation of Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
The draft laws adopted and under consideration supplement the law “On Control over the Activities of Persons Under Foreign Influence”, which came into force on December 1. According to the document, the participants of all four lists of the Ministry of Justice were combined into one register of «foreign agents». The law prohibits them from working in the civil service and in election commissions, gaining access to state secrets, and also nominate themselves as candidates for the PMC.