Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has called for a legislative ban on foreign agents receiving income from sources in Russia. He argued that leaving the country during a difficult time is an immoral act and suggested amending the legislation on foreign agents to include a direct prohibition on receiving income from sources in Russia. Medvedev referenced Boris Akunin, a recognized foreign agent who left Russia and does not support its military operation, but whose books are still being adapted in the country. The State Duma has also proposed confiscating property and earnings from departed stars with an anti-Russian position.
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev considers it necessary to introduce a legislative ban on foreign agents to receive income from sources in Russia. According to Mr. Medvedev, if a person simply left the country and “sits quietly” abroad, then this is his personal choice, but “leaving the country at a difficult moment is an immoral act.”
In an interview with Russian media and users of VKontakte, the deputy chairman of the Security Council commented on the departure of the Russians after the start of the military operation in Ukraine. According to him, “if it’s just a choice of where to live, it’s impossible to condemn from a legal point of view.” “As for those who live there (abroad), but receive money from sources in Russia, and even committed a criminal offense related to discrediting our armed forces, this is indeed both immoral and unacceptable,” Dmitry Medvedev is sure.
He cited as an example the writer Boris Akunin (recognized as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation), who left Russia and does not support its military operation. Nevertheless, Mr. Medvedev complained, in Russia “they continue to stage works based on his books.” “The question is why? Order a similar dystopia to someone. So, no, you need to give him money,” said the deputy chairman of the Security Council.
According to Dmitry Medvedev, “if you want to talk nasty things, say them, but you can’t get money in Russia.” “I believe that it is necessary to amend the legislation on foreign agents, where it is directly established that persons recognized as foreign agents do not have the right to receive income from sources in Russia,” he suggested.
In January, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin proposed introducing a property confiscation clause into the articles of the Russian Criminal Code on incitement to extremism, the rehabilitation of Nazism, or the discrediting of the armed forces. The head of the Constitutional Committee of the Federation Council Andrey Klishas noted that such changes are impossible without amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The head of the Human Rights Council, Valery Fadeev, said that he does not support the idea of depriving Russians who criticize their country of their property or citizenship, because this is contrary to the Constitution. The State Duma also proposed to deprive the earnings of the departed stars with an anti-Russian position.
Read more about the discussion in the publication “Kommersant” “Relocation with confiscation.”
In conclusion, the proposal by Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev to introduce a legislative ban on foreign agents receiving income from sources in Russia has sparked controversy and discussion among lawmakers and human rights activists. While some argue that it is immoral for Russians living abroad to receive money from sources in their home country while discrediting its armed forces, others feel that the proposal violates the Russian Constitution and could lead to property confiscation and even deprivation of citizenship. This remains a complex issue with strong arguments on both sides, and it will be interesting to see how the debate unfolds in the coming months.