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A well-known writer from Russia has been labeled as a foreign agent due to his opposition to the invasion of Ukraine by the country.
The justice ministry has added Boris Akunin, formerly a highly popular writer in Russia, to a list of individuals classified as “terrorists and extremists.”
The works of Mr Akunin, also known as Grigori Chkhartishvili, were previously taken off shelves due to his vocal disagreement with President Vladimir Putin.
According to a statement from the justice ministry, Mr Akunin was against the special military operation in Ukraine and was accused of aiding in the collection of funds for the Ukrainian military.
He has strongly spoken out against the war in Ukraine.
The ministry stated that Mr. Akunin had spread untrue information with the intention of portraying a negative perception of Russia and its military.
In a joking manner, he posted on social media, “They claim that I have been labeled a foreign agent today. Me, a terrorist and extremist?! It feels like being compared to Bin Laden for a minor offense.”
“I was declared a terrorist by terrorists,” stated Mr. Akunin, a resident of London.
On the day of Russia’s complete invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Akunin stated: “Russia is governed by a mentally unstable dictator who, most importantly, blindly follows his own paranoia.”
The designation of “foreign agent”, which bears similarities to the phrase “enemies of the people” used in the Soviet era, mandates individuals labeled as such to publicly disclose their status on social media and other published materials. Additionally, it imposes complex financial reporting obligations on them.
Numerous cultural figures from Russia have left the nation following Moscow’s initiation of military action against Ukraine. Meanwhile, those who have remained are subject to strict censorship laws.
Source: independent.co.uk
