Russian news outlets urge Putin to end media 'crackdown’ under ‘foreign agent’ law 

Several leading Russian media outlets have urged President Vladamir Putin to endwhat they claim a “crackdown” onjournalistsand mediafirmswho have been branded as “foreignagents”and“undesirable”organisations.

In the run-up to September`s legislative election, the officials had declared several outlets as“foreign agents”undera 2017 Russian law that requires them to put a disclaimer on any content they produce and disclose information on their funding.

More than a dozen media, includingMeduza, TV Rain and Novaya Gazeta have signed an open letter to the government pleading them to repeal the law, which theyargue is a death sentence for independent media as it scares off advertisers, potential sources and reporting partners.

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“We are convinced that these events are part of a coordinated campaign to destroy independent Russian media, whose entire ‘guilt’ is constituted by their honestly fulfilling their professional duties to their readers,”TheGuardian quoted theletter.

“We demand that this campaign be halted right now.”

Some outlets said they have been forced to close because a foreign agent declaration had destroyed their business models.

Earlier this year,Russia heavily fined US broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty this year and froze its Moscow bank accounts for refusing to publish the disclaimer after being declared a foreign agent.

Rejecting the claims that the media is being persecuted, the Kremlin described the appeals made by theoutletsas “emotional”.

It saidthat suchdesignations showed that the law was functioning and that the legislation was needed to protect Russia from foreign meddling asjournalists and NGOs can be manipulated.

(With inputs from agencies)