Russia takes steps to make foreigners sign a 'loyalty agreement'

In what can be seen as another Russian attempt to control public opinion on its soil, the country's interior ministry has prepared a draw legislation that would in effect, make foreigners sign a "loyalty agreement" which will forbid them from criticising Russia's official policy, discrediting history of the Soviet military or contravening traditional family values.

Russian people have been witness to introduction of series of tough laws since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These laws forbid people from discrediting the military. War critics and opposition activists have been handed lengthy jail sentences by courts which held that the defendants violated these laws.

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Russia is due to hold presidential elections in 2024. Since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to portray what he calls the 'special military operation' as part of an existential battle with the West. He has said that he will defend the 'sacred' civilisation from what he calls as the West decadence.

According to a report by state news agency TASS, the legislation has been prepared by the interior ministry and it forces all foreigners to sign an agreement that would restrict what they can say publicly.

TASS said that a foreigner in Russia will be prohibited from "interfering with the activities of public authorities of the Russian Federation, discrediting in any form the foreign and domestic state policy of the Russian Federation, public authorities and their officials"

It has been reported that the proposed agreement would have clauses that deal with family, morality, "propaganda about non-traditional sexual relations" and history.

Foreigners will be barred from "distorting the historical truth about the feat of the Soviet people in the defence of the Fatherland and its contribution to the victory over fascism".

It was not immediately clear if the legislation was aimed at certain nationalities or all foreigners. Also, there was no information about what the punishment would be if a foreigner is held to have violated terms of the agreement.

Reuters reported that Kremlin declined to comment.

Kremlin wants somedegree of censorship

Earlier this month, Kremlin said that some degree of censorship was needed as Russian troops were fighting in Ukraine.

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For the draft legislation to become a law, it will have to be submitted in State Duma, which is the lower house of the Russian parliament. The legislation would have to go through committee review and a number of readings before being submitted to President Putin for his assent.

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Leonid Kalashnikov, Chairman of the Duma's CIS Affairs Committee has said that was being worked upon by the interior ministry, the government, the presidential administration and also by his committee.

"The draft law on the so-called 'loyalty agreement' with migrants entering the Russian Federation is in a high degree of readiness," Leonid Kalashnikov told Interfax.

(With inputs from agencies)