High fine threatening closure of online Russian news outlet is detrimental to freedom of media, says OSCE media freedom representative
VIENNA, 27 October 2018 - Today, following a court decision to impose an extremely high fine on The New Times online news outlet, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, called on authorities of the Russian Federation to protect freedom of the media and preserve pluralism of opinion in the country as an essential element of an open and democratic society.
On 26 October the Tverskoi District Court of Moscow issued a fine of 22 million 250 thousand rubles (nearly 297 thousand euro) against The New Times and 30 thousand rubles against its chief editor Yevgenia Albats (nearly 400 euro), judging the media outlet had failed to respect financial reporting obligations under the so-called 'foreign agents' law. The fine comes after the editor interviewed an opposition politician for a local radio station. According to news reports, the fine may force The New Times to close soon.
“The exceptionally high fine imposed on The New Times is an unprecedented decision, which is detrimental to freedom of the media in the Russian Federation,” Désir said. "I call on the authorities to repeal this decision and hope it will be overturned on appeal. I reiterate my call on the authorities to amend the existing legislation on 'foreign agents,' in order to avoid such situations in the future."
The Representative recalled that one of the important commitments of OSCE participating States is to preserve media freedom and pluralism of the media.
"The Russian Federation should avoid unnecessary and disproportionate measures that may weaken media pluralism. That is why the law on "foreign agents" needs to urgently change."
Russian legal regulations on the “foreign agents” law have been raised by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media with the authorities on numerous occassions in the past (see https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/386669, https://www.osce.org/fom/368161, www.osce.org/fom/357111, https://www.osce.org/fom/142391 and https://www.osce.org/fom/100569).