25/11/2019 (Agence Europe) – The spokeswoman of the European External Action Service called on Russian legislators on Saturday 23 November to abandon the foreign agents law. Earlier this week, the State Duma adopted, in the third and final reading, a legislative act widening the scope of the 2012 ‘foreign agent’ media law, allowing the law to apply to individuals. According to the spokeswoman, this legislation “imposes additional administrative and financial burden as well as stigmatises the media or NGO concerned, thus restricting the exercise of fundamental freedoms”. In addition, “taking into account the already limited space for free media in the country”, a further extension of the scope of the legislation is “yet another worrying step against free and independent media and access to information as well as further attempt to silence independent voices in Russia”, she added. (CG)