Foreign Agents Law and Russian’s War Against Truth - with Jenny Mathers Russian Politics Expert.

In September 2021, Russian applied a Foreign Agent law to citizens who  report or share information on crime, corruption and especially themes  related to the military and security services. But the origins of the  law go back much further, to 2012, when Russia started to regulate  Public Associations, NGOs and other private financial entities. At first  the law was likened to US legislation that limits the activities of  lobbyists employed by foreign governments. But since its introduction,  the scope of the law has been progressively expanded. Now it can be  described as a blunt and indiscriminate weapon that’s being used to  crush every vestige of civil society and independent media in Russia.  

Today, I’m discussing the impact of the Foreign Agent law on journalism,  civil society organisations and political opposition, and we’ll be  looking at the effect it has had on some specific groups and  individuals, such as Echo Moscow, TV Rain, and Navalny’s team, as well  as the work of Memorial.   Jenny Mathers is a senior academic with expertise in Russian politics  and security, gender, and conflict. She has been a Senior Lecturer at  Aberystwyth University since 1992. Jenny Mathers is experienced in  Policy Analysis, Political Science, and lecturing. She is a Doctor of  Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on International Relations gained from  Somerville College, Oxford University.