Russia passed its foreign agent law in 2012 and forces people slapped with this label to put a disclaimer on any public statements they make, in a bid to undermine their legitimacy.
But Moscow has lately beefed up the rules, outlawing advertising on media owned by “foreign agents” and targeting their royalties from creative works.
The foreign agents’ list now consists of about one thousand people and organisations, including well-known musicians, writers and journalists.
This has forced many of them into exile, sometimes while retaining property in Russia as they had to flee abruptly.
The laws signed by Putin on Monday also provide for the seizure of property from those convicted of the charges.
