Foreign Agents: Russian Blogger Faces Criminal Charges

The Moscow prosecutor's office stated this, Orda.kz reports.

The department's website stated that a criminal case against Ilya Varlamov was opened under the article "Failure to Perform Duties of a Foreign Agent." 

The maximum punishment under this article is two years of imprisonment.

40-year-old Ilya Varlamov, recognized as a foreign agent, was brought to administrative liability twice during the year for violating the procedure for the activities of a foreign agent. However, in violation of the requirements of Russian legislation, he continued to distribute public messages and materials on a social network without indicating that they were created and (or) distributed by an individual performing the functions of a foreign agent, the Moscow Prosecutor's Office said. 

The charges concern Varlamov’s refusal to post information under his publications that he was recognized as a foreign agent in Russia back in March 2023.

Ilya Varlamov is a well-known Russian blogger specializing in urban studies.

Varlamov is not the only person to have a criminal case opened against him under this article.

Alsa Kurmasheva, a journalist for Radio Liberty's Tatar-Bashkir service, was convicted under it in July 2024.

A few days later, she was in an exchange of political prisoners for Russian agents.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin