The Russian Ministry of Justice has designated popular fiction author Grigori Chkhartishvili, more commonly known by his pen name, Boris Akunin, as a ‘foreign agent.’ This move comes in response to Chkhartishvili’s vocal criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to the ministry, Chkhartishvili’s opposition to the military action in Ukraine was expressed in a Facebook post penned the day the invasion was initiated in February 2022. He wrote, “Russia is ruled by a psychologically deranged dictator and worst of all, it obediently follows his paranoia.”
Prior to this action, Chkhartishvili was registered on a list of “terrorists and extremists” compiled by Rosfinmonitoring, Russia’s financial regulatory agency, in December. Following this, criminal charges were initiated against Chkhartishvili, accusing him of “justifying terrorism” and “disseminating knowingly false information about the Armed Forces.”
The ‘foreign agent’ legislation obliges those designated to identify themselves as foreign agents on any published material. They are also subject to stringent financial reporting and self-disclosure requirements. This move underscores the escalating concerns surrounding Russia’s crackdown on independent media outlets critical of the Kremlin.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that such repressive measures obstruct freedom of expression and legitimate civic activism in Russia, and has called upon neighbouring governments and international organisations to respond.
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, has commented on the investigation of Chkhartishvili, pointing out that the campaign against him is devoid of justified ground and typifies Russia’s crackdown on dissenters, especially around the issue of the war in Ukraine.
Chkhartishvili’s designation as a ‘foreign agent’ adds to a mounting list of similar categorisations seen over the past year. Other prominent figures added include former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, following his criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dmitry Muratov, who was accused of using foreign platforms to express opinions critical of Russia’s domestic and foreign policy.
The situation in Russia has caused a significant number of cultural figures to flee the country following the commencement of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, as censorship laws continue to increase.