Russia’s Justice Ministry names blogger Ilya Varlamov and lawyer Pavel Chikov ‘foreign agents’

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation has labeled Ilya Varlamov, a blogger, and Pavel Chikov, head of the international human rights group, Agora, “foreign agents.”

Varlamov and Chikov disseminated “inaccurate information about decisions made and policies adopted by the public authorities,” according to the ministry’s website.

The ministry also says that Varlamov “received support for foreign sources” and that Chikov “participated in the creation and dissemination” of materials by “foreign agents.”

Other new additions to the ministry’s list of “foreign agents” include Svetlana Lada-Rus (Peunova), leader of the liquidated opposition political party Volya; political scientist Ruslan Aysan; former TV Rain journalist Bogdan Bakaleyko; and Parni Plyus/Parni +, a resource for the LGBTQ+ community in Russia.