The Moscow Times, which for years published an English-language paper, is popular among Russia-watchers abroad. Photograph: The Moscow Times
Thu 11 July 2024:
Russia has designated the Moscow Times as an “undesirable organization,” effectively banning its operations within the country and exposing anyone cooperating with it to legal action. This move is part of the Kremlin’s intensified crackdown on independent media since the military offensive against Ukraine began in February 2022.
“A decision has been taken to declare the activities of the Moscow Times, a foreign non-government organisation, undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation,” the office of Russia’s prosecutor general said.
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The outlet was “aimed at discrediting the decisions of the leadership of the Russian Federation in both foreign and domestic policy”, it added.
The publication, which has been reporting on Russia since the early 1990s in both English and Russian, relocated to Amsterdam in 2022.
With this designation, the Moscow Times must cease operations in Russia. Russians who work for, fund, or collaborate with the outlet face potential prosecution, with penalties including up to five years in jail for certain activities. Despite this, the Moscow Times founder, Derk Sauer, stated the outlet would continue its independent journalism.
The “undesirable” status has previously led to fines for Russians sharing content from such organizations. The Moscow Times, a long-standing English-language publication in Moscow, has been influential among international Russia-watchers and has trained many journalists who later became prominent foreign correspondents.
This designation follows a pattern where Russia uses the “undesirable organization” label to target media and NGOs perceived as funding opposition or challenging the Kremlin, a tactic critics argue is aimed at suppressing dissent.
What is The Moscow Times?
The Moscow Times was founded in 1992 as an English-language daily newspaper in Moscow by a Dutch publisher.
Its print edition was discontinued in 2017.
The website opened a Russian language service in 2020.
The Moscow Times relocated to the Netherlands after Russia cracked down on independent media in early 2022.
Former staff include prominent journalists, including Evan Gershkovich, who is currently standing trial in Russia on spying charges.
Last month, Russia banned access to over 80 Western media outlets.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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