The Russian authorities have charged Meduza co-founder Galina Timchenko with the misdemeanor offense of violating Russia’s “foreign agent” law, according to online court records.
Timchenko stands accused of acting as a “foreign agent” without being officially registered as one, an offense typically applied to individuals who fail to submit paperwork to the Justice Ministry for inclusion in the “foreign agents” registry. The charge carries a fine of up to 50,000 rubles ($550).
It’s unclear what prompted the case. The court received it on February 10, and a hearing is scheduled for March 10.
Russia’s Justice Ministry designated Timchenko, who lives outside of Russia, as a “foreign agent” on August 30, 2024.
In May 2024, she was charged with participating in an “undesirable organization,” also a misdemeanor offense. The case was based on an episode of Meduza’s daily news podcast in which Timchenko spoke about the latest developments at Meduza and responded to letters from readers.
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