Russia’s lower house of parliament is advancing a measure which will allow the government to take moves to label certain US media outlets as “foreign agents” under law, forcing them to disclose substantial information about their operation within the country.
Details are still scant, but the move is described as being meant to take similar measures as those by the US Justice Department, who has ordered Russia’s RT to register as a foreign agent. Russia has threatened retaliation before over the move against RT.
The suggestion of it being similar is that the move will likely target Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, media outlets which are organized as quasi-independent government media in virtually identical ways to RT.
US officials accuse RT of being part of an effort to sway the US election because they covered a debate involving third party candidates, a debate which mainstream US media outlets would not cover.
Top photo | The headquarters of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) seen with the United States, RFE/RL and the Czech Republic flags in the foreground, in Prague Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. (AP/CTK, Michal Kamaryt)