MOSCOW, November 29 (RAPSI) – A bill on fines of up to 5 million rubles (about $86,000) for violating legislation, which allows Russian authorities to designate foreign media receiving financing from abroad as “foreign agents”, was submitted to the State Duma on Wednesday.

The document was published on the database of draft laws and regulations.

Under the bill drafted by parliament members Pavel Krasheninnikov and Andrey Klishas, the first violation of the 'foreign agents' media law would be punishable by 10,000 rubles ($170) for individuals, 50,000 rubles ($860) for officials, and 500,000 rubles ($8,600) for companies. In cases of repeated violations, individuals would face fines of up to 50,000 rubles, officials would be fined of up to 100,000 rubles ($1,700), and fines of up to 1 million ($17,000) would be imposed on companies.

Gross violations of the rules of 'foreign agents' media outlets operation would result in a 100,000-ruble fine and detention for 15 days for individuals, a 200,000-ruble fine ($3,400) for officials, and a 5-million-ruble fine ($86,000) for companies.

The bill classifies gross violations as repeated (two and more times throughout a year) breaches of the mass media law provisions concerning the operation of foreign media designated as foreign agent.

Amendments are proposed to the Code of Administrative Offences.

On November 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the bill on “foreign agent” label for foreign media into law.

Decisions regarding registration of media as “foreign agents” are to be made by the Ministry of Justice. The document is also to establish regulations such as what markers are going to be used for this kind of media or whether there is a need for a special registry in this case.

In November, the U.S. Ministry of Justice ordered Russia Today TV channel to register as a “foreign agent.” The channel implemented the requirement on November 10. Head of RT Margarita Simonyan said that it was a forced choice between registration and a criminal case. The President called this situation an attack on freedom of speech and members of the State Duma initiated preparation of symmetrical response measures.

The Russian law adopted in November 2012 requires that all NGOs engaged in political activity and receiving foreign funding register as “foreign agents”.

Under the amendments to the law, which were adopted this year, political activity is linked to such fields as state-building, securing Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, enforcement of law, order and security, national defense, foreign policy, political system integrity, social and economic and national development of the country, regulation of rights and freedoms of man and citizen.

NGOs which are engaged in organization and holding of public events, including meetings, manifestations, demonstrations, discussions and performances would be deemed to be involved in political activity.

Moreover, those NGOs which are involved in work aimed at achieving certain results during elections or referendum, vote monitoring practices, establishment of election commissions or support of political parties would also be put on the list of those organizations which are engaged in political activity.