Thread: Russia Declares Independent News Site Meduza a Foreign Agent

Originally Posted by misskit

Can Russians be foreign agents?

Originally Posted by misskit

Meduza began publishing out of Latvia in 2014

Actually, Latvia kicked our RT long time ago.

JULY 1, 2020
Latvia bans Russian broadcaster RT over ties to Kremlin media mogul Latvia bans Russian broadcaster RT over ties to Kremlin media mogul | Reuters

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Can't have anyone exposing the truth about the murderous dictator in the run up to an election, now can we? https://meduza.io/en

Originally Posted by misskit

Yes, whataboutism there, sabang.
The US did it and it made the news even here on TD. As a matter of fact, it comes up pretty often on this forum.
So why can’t it be a news report on Russia without the usual USA DID IT! Neener neener neener. Reminds me of Pee Wee Herman.

But who cares about facts...

Originally Posted by sabang

But you are changing the goalposts- the requirement for a foreign agent to register is not unique to Russia, or Autocracies, or non-Democratic nations in general- the USA requires it too. FACT.

Let me break out the crayons to frame it in a way that you can understand. The US requires foreign agents that are controlled by FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS to register. That is the big difference. Meduza is an independent news source that has not connection to any nation state. So basically it would be like the US requiring The Guardian to register as a foreign agent.

It is just an attempt by the Kremlin to silence a news source they do not like and have long tried to extinguish. Instead of just admitting that you have to engage in this ridiculous back and forth, clinging desperately to false equivalencies.

Executive Order on Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation
APRIL 15, 2021

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation — in particular, efforts to undermine the conduct of free and fair democratic elections and democratic institutions in the United States and its allies and partners; to engage in and facilitate malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies and partners; to foster and use transnational corruption to influence foreign governments; to pursue extraterritorial activities targeting dissidents or journalists; to undermine security in countries and regions important to United States national security; and to violate well-established principles of international law, including respect for the territorial integrity of states — constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.
Accordingly, I hereby order:
Section 1. All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:
(a) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and, with respect to subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Attorney General, or by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, and, with respect to subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Attorney General:
(i) to operate or have operated in the technology sector or the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy, or any other sector of the Russian Federation economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;
(ii) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, any of the following for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation:
(A) malicious cyber-enabled activities;
(B) interference in a United States or other foreign government election;
(C) actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the United States or abroad;
(D) transnational corruption;
(E) assassination, murder, or other unlawful killing of, or infliction of other bodily harm against, a United States person or a citizen or national of a United States ally or partner;
(F) activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners; or
(G) deceptive or structured transactions or dealings to circumvent any United States sanctions, including through the use of digital currencies or assets or the use of physical assets;
(iii) to be or have been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of:
(A) the Government of the Russian Federation;
(B) an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in any activity described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section; or
(C) an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;
(iv) to be a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of the Russian Federation;
(v) to be a spouse or adult child of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) or (iii) of this section;
(vi) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of:
(A) any activity described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section; or
(B) any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or
(vii) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.
(b) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, a government whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to chapter V of title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations or another Executive Order, and to be:
(i) a citizen or national of the Russian Federation;
(ii) an entity organized under the laws of the Russian Federation or any jurisdiction within the Russian Federation (including foreign branches); or
(iii) a person ordinarily resident in the Russian Federation.
(c) any person determined by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in or attempted to engage in, cutting or disrupting gas or energy supplies to Europe, the Caucasus, or Asia, and to be:
(i) an individual who is a citizen or national of the Russian Federation; or
(ii) an entity organized under the laws of the Russian Federation or any jurisdiction within the Russian Federation (including foreign branches).
(d) The prohibitions in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of this order.
Sec. 2. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include:
(a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and
(b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
Sec. 3. (a) The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of noncitizens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section 1 of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and the entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is hereby suspended, except when the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, determines that the person’s entry would not be contrary to the interests of the United States, including when the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, so determines, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General, that the person’s entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives.
(b) The Secretary of State shall implement this authority as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement this order as it applies to the entry of noncitizens pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.
(d) Such persons shall be treated by this section in the same manner as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).
Sec. 4. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.
(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.
Sec. 5. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the types of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.
Sec. 6. For the purposes of this order:
(a) the term “entity” means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;
(b) the term “Government of the Russian Federation” means the Government of the Russian Federation, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and any person owned, controlled, or directed by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of the Russian Federation;
(c) the term “noncitizen” means any person who is not a citizen or noncitizen national of the United States;
(d) the term “person” means an individual or entity; and
(e) the term “United States person” means any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States.
Sec. 7. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.
Sec. 8. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within the Department of the Treasury. All departments and agencies of the United States shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.
Sec. 9. Nothing in this order shall prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the Federal Government or the United Nations (including its specialized agencies, programs, funds, and related organizations) by employees, grantees, and contractors thereof.
Sec. 10. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to submit recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency declared in this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)).
Sec. 11. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
April 15, 2021.

Access Denied

You can't expect our resident vladbots to own up that this is just yet another attempt by Putin to silence any opposition.

They should count themselves lucky that he's just going through this ridiculous charade rather than making them drink a cup of his glowing tea or slipping them some of his quality Novichok.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

quality Novichok

Any idea where to get such "quality"? It seems that the guaranteed efficacy has expired after the long years...
Anything new on market?

Obviously bad taste to mention such names as Peter Arnett, Phil Donahue, and (gasp) Julian Assange now, isn't it??

Originally Posted by sabang

Obviously bad taste to mention such names as Peter Arnett, Phil Donahue, and (gasp) Julian Assange now, isn't it??

No, just irrelevant.

WTF does the Phil Donahue Show have to do with this?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

WTF does the Phil Donahue Show have to do with this?

He is drunk off his ass in Adelaide.

Originally Posted by bsnub

Let me break out the crayons to frame it in a way that you can understand. The US requires foreign agents that are controlled by FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS to register. That is the big difference. Meduza is an independent news source that has not connection to any nation state. So basically it would be like the US requiring The Guardian to register as a foreign agent.

It is just an attempt by the Kremlin to silence a news source they do not like and have long tried to extinguish. Instead of just admitting that you have to engage in this ridiculous back and forth, clinging desperately to false equivalencies.

This is false. Meduza is far from clean

Originally Posted by sabang

This is like snatching candy off a baby. I should be ashamed of myself.

Still dodging the salient point that Russia's motivation for listing Meduza as an "agent" is just another step to censor free speech.

You will do anything to push your narrative.

Man up snub, and admit that you were wrong. FARA does not just apply to foreign government controlled agents as you stated, and as I disproved above with the US gov't website.

I think Meduza is a pretty good resource actually for antiPutinbots, like a hypermarket for all things Bad-Vlad. The fact they have to register under Russia's FARA is entirely fair and no different to the US, plus they were in breach of this law by not registering before- which Russia has at least turned a blind eye to, apparently.

So they should register as required, and keep up the muckraking. Someone has got to. Hey, the NED can sling them some dosh if required. Isn't that what it's for?

Originally Posted by OhOh

He noted that the Kremlin "values the professionalism of journalists in every media outlet."

By media outlet, does he include the Putin propaganda farms that churn out the sort of shit you usually post?

^
Glad to hear you read them. Why not comment on their content.

Just another step backward.

"Russia is ruled by a KGB officer from the 1970s. Of course, he tries to create an atmosphere that is comfortable for him," says Alexander Isawnin of the "Free University" in Moscow, which is committed to freedom of information, among other things. "Back then there was the Pravda newspaper, the First Channel - and that was it."

Ohhh Putin must feel like its the old times again.

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

"Russia is ruled by a KGB officer from the 1970s.

Another good example of "double standard","different reporting" of propaganda, brainwashing:

A small KGB officer, hmm, how often we read this? What's wrong on that? Do you know any country existing without a secret police?

Unlike a CIA director becoming a POTUS, does it sound better?

Or a real estate shyster?
Or a 5 star general?
Or a B grade actor?

Originally Posted by OhOh

^
Glad to hear you read them. Why not comment on their content.

I did. Can't you fucking read?

the sort of shit you usually post

Na, he was undercover and working on an assassination. Just ask Herman.

Originally Posted by sabang

Na, he was undercover and working on an assassination. Just ask Herman.

Death

On 17 February 2000, Putin met with Sobchak and urged him to travel to Kaliningrad to support his election campaign.^[13] Sobchak traveled there, accompanied by two assistants who also served as his bodyguards.^[b] On 20 February 2000, Sobchak died suddenly in the town of Svetlogorsk of the Kaliningrad Oblast. The initial suspected cause of death was a heart attack, but the findings of two medical experts were contradictory.^[15][16] A criminal investigation of Sobchak's death as a possible "premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances" was opened only on 6 May 2000, more than two months later. After three months, the investigation was closed without a finding.^[13][17] The Democratic Union party led by Valeria Novodvorskaya made an official statement that not only Sobchak, but also two of his aides had heart attacks simultaneously, which indicated poisoning.^[18] Two other men were present with Sobchak during his death, but their names were not publicly disclosed.^[16][19][20]

According to an independent investigation by Arkady Vaksberg, both bodyguards of Sobchak were treated for symptoms of poisoning after Sobchak's death, indicating at a probable contract killing by poisoning.^[13][21] Sobchack's widow Lyudmila had her own autopsy done on her husband's body, but never made the results public; she told the BBC that she keeps the findings in a secure location outside Russia.^[22]
He was interred in Nikolskoe Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg, near the grave of Galina Starovoitova.

Anatoly Sobchak - Wikipedia

^There is always one problem: some killings are declared as real ones, some as "conspiracy theory". So it's your choice to believe those or not to believe the others. However, to be able to decide what's right, what's wrong, it needs to have a sound Bauernverstand...

Sometimes it needs just to ask "qui bono"... Qui bono the killing and qui bono the propaganda...

But if you do not want to believe what you do not want, then it's waste of time...

But there are also criminal killings and there are also killings for a good purpose... (So what do you think?)

Did Sobchak invent Novichok? Coulda died by his own deadly hand.