Tatyana Voltskaya, Yekaterina Klepikovskaya, Yelizaveta Surnacheva and Yelena Slovyova have been tagged as 'Foreign Media Agents' in a recent move from the Justice Ministry. The list includes five Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists, among others. Legislation adopted by the country in 2012 requires a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to identify itself as "foreign agents" and present for audits. The recent modifications in the law, which has been repeatedly amended, have majorly targeted foreign-funded media, including RFE/RL’s Russian service and its services in other languages. A number of RFE/RL reporters have been included in the list. The CFWIJ stands in solidarity with the targeted journalists in their fight for freedom of the press. We urge the Russian Justice Ministry to stop modifying laws in order to intimidate journalists.

Tatyana Volstkaya was finally acquitted of the baseless charges filed against her for spreading misinformation on May 4. The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondent was facing a criminal investigation for a story she published in April 2020. The journalist reported on the shortage of ventilators for COVID-19 patients in hospitals throughout Saint Petersburg, quoting an unnamed physician. After the article was published on the RFE/RL website, Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor asked the news outlet to take it down, but they refused to comply.