For the first time, the court found it unlawful to enter a journalist in the register of “foreign agents”

The Soviet District Court in Vladivostok overturned the decision of the Ministry of Justice to enter journalist Daniil Gubarev in the register of “foreign agents”, lawyer Sergei Valyulin told Mediazone.

Gubarev leads the News.vl media about the events in Vladivostok and Primorye, where he previously worked news agency Vl.ru. The Ministry of Justice recognized him as a “foreign agent” in March 2023. The agency explained its decision by the fact that the journalist lives in Singapore and “distributes” the materials of “foreign agents”: Dozhda, The Insider, Rosbalt, Levada Center, blogger Maxim Katz and political scientist Ekaterina Shulman.

The ministry also accused News.vl of “forming a negative attitude” towards the policy of the Russian authorities in connection with posts about the war in Ukraine, the governor of Primorsky Krai Oleg Kozhemyako and other materials.

According to the lawyer, the court’s decision was influenced by “the lack of evidence from the administrative defendant and the appropriate attitude of the judge who objectively examined the legitimacy of the claim.” “It’s not just that the journalist mainly reposted articles from other media. The most important thing is that the accused did not objectively prove that Gubarev was under foreign influence,” said Valiulin.

This is the first time in Russia that a person entered in the register of “foreign agents” has been able to challenge the decision of the Ministry of Justice in court. Previously the status was canceled by the HIV foundation “Humanitarian Action”, but then this decision was canceled by a higher authority and the organization has been returned to the register.

Gubarev himself welcomed the court’s decision, noting that he he was “absolutely opposed” to being listed as a “foreign agent”. “I’m glad we won in court. But I won’t be surprised if everything comes back again,” he said. The Primorye prosecutor’s office did not comment on the court’s decision.