Shadow of the teacher: foreign agents will be banned from conducting educational activities

The government gave a positive response to the draft law prohibiting foreign agents from carrying out educational and educational activities in Russia. The innovation will affect the teaching of both children and persons who have reached the age of majority. In addition, the law is supplemented by the provision that a legal entity's license for educational activities is terminated upon its inclusion in the register of foreign agents. At the same time, individuals with this status will not be allowed to conduct educational activities in state and municipal institutions, but there is a discussion about private ones, the authors of the amendments said, adding that new restrictions for foreign agents are being worked out. How the amendments will work is in the Izvestia article.

What are the changes for foreign agents

Foreign agents will be completely banned from conducting educational activities.Such a bill, which amends several federal laws, was supported by the government (a review is available to Izvestia).

In 2022, those with the status of foreign agents were already banned from working in state and municipal services and in law enforcement agencies. In addition, they cannot produce information products for children, as well as carry out educational and awareness-raising activities for them.

The new restrictions were developed by a group of deputies from different factions to improve regulation of the activities of foreign agents in Russia, Igor Cherepanov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Russian Bar Association, reminded Izvestia.

— Considering the expansion of the destructive influence of foreign agents on the most important institutions of Russian society and the increase in financing of their activities from Western countries, it became necessary to regulate certain provisions of legislation, he said.

Amendments are planned to be introduced into the federal law "On Control over the activities of persons under foreign Influence." In particular, there will be a ban on foreign legal entities to conduct educational and educational activities for both children and adults.

— The previous, milder ban remains in place with regard to non-resident individuals working in the field of education: they are not allowed to conduct teaching activities only in state and municipal educational organizations," he said.The document assumes that the license for educational activities will be revoked if the person is recognized or previously recognized as a foreign agent. If adopted, the law will impose restrictions on foreign agents in terms of holding lectures, seminars, webinars and round tables, Igor Cherepanov explained.

— The draft also establishes a direct ban on the inclusion of NGOs with this status in the register of socially oriented organizations and on the provision of support to them by municipalities. In addition to the existing ban on receiving any assistance from government agencies," the expert added.

One of the authors of the bill, Andrei Alshevskikh, a member of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, added that, in his opinion, the ban on teaching should extend to private educational institutions.

— So far, this bill only deals with municipal and state—owned enterprises, he said. — There are different opinions on this, and an active discussion is underway. There is an opinion that in this way we can introduce a ban on the profession. But I disagree with this, because, as the president said, the stigma of a foreign agent is not for life.

The legislation prescribes the procedure for removing the status of a foreign agent, the deputy recalled. Andrey Alshevskikh explained: if a person who teaches at a government institution has received such a status, then he must cease his activities until he removes it.

— Our law prescribes mechanisms for removing the status of a foreign agent. Therefore, no one bothers to eliminate the reasons why it was included in the register," the author noted.

In addition, the parliamentarian did not rule out that by the final adoption of the bill, a clause banning teaching in private educational institutions may appear.

Why restrict foreign agents

The status of a foreign agent is a response to attempts to interfere in Russia's internal affairs, political analyst Dmitry Yelovsky emphasized. This includes influencing the opinions and decisions of citizens in the interests of other States.

— This ban on educational and awareness—raising activities directly follows from this logic, he said. — It is precisely this activity that is one of the main channels for spreading narratives that are unfriendly to us. However, another question arises: well, some of the foreign agents systematically work in the interests of Western funds and special services, and such strictures are logical, but there are many who objectively got on the list because of a one-time mistake. Therefore, the issue of their danger and this tightening is debatable.

One of the main complaints about the status of a foreign agent, according to the expert, is the incomprehensibility of the procedure for its removal.

— If a person admits a mistake, how can he remove his status? — he noted. — What formal or informal actions does he need to do to be excluded from the list? The lack of a transparent mechanism leads to the fact that those people who were ready to embark on the path of correction do not do it because they do not understand how to do it.

Natalia Poluyanova, a member of the State Duma Committee on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, believes that the bill is primarily about the responsibility of educational activities.

— With regard to non-profit organizations that receive the status of a foreign agent, we cannot even imagine what information they will carry to people. For example, there have already been so many comments about labeling violations," she said. — There should be transparent financial reporting regarding both the funds received and the direction of their spending. This is also fundamentally important. That is, in addition to the information they bring to people, they also receive information from where they receive it.

The ban on educational and awareness—raising activities for foreign agents is a logical continuation of existing restrictions, Ekaterina Kosareva, managing partner of the VMT Consult analytical agency, agreed. She cited the example of the Higher School of Economics, where there are no longer any employees who had such a status. The new bill only formalizes these restrictions.

— The issue of educational activities is interesting because it covers not only traditional teaching, but also various lectures, courses, and public appearances," the expert explained. — It is important to ensure that prohibitions do not interfere with those who really do useful work, but at the same time meet the requirements of the law.

Do we need new restrictions

The bill prohibits both receiving municipal financial support and inclusion in the register of socially oriented non-profit organizations, Natalia Poluyanova recalled. At least five such organizations are now known, including the Committee against Torture and Civil Solidarity (included in the register of foreign agents), which were actively discussed in 2022, said Olga Zanko, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Civil Society Development, Public and Religious Associations.

— These structures, despite their activities, continue to be on the register of SO-called NGOs, she noted. — Foreign agents among SO-called NGOs pose a serious threat. Their activities are aimed at undermining state security, at destroying the bonds that unite our society. I support this initiative. Although, of course, many support measures can no longer apply to foreign agents, even if they are registered with NGOs.

The register of socially oriented non-profit organizations, according to her, is a kind of list of proven and reliable NGOs that have proven their effectiveness in solving social issues.

— Being on this register, organizations can attract donations from benefactors, who, in turn, receive tax deductions, the deputy explained. — The presence of organizations engaged in anti-Russian activities in the register undermines the credibility of this institution and creates conditions for financing destructive projects.

It is also important that organizations whose leaders conduct anti-Russian activities and have already been brought to administrative or criminal responsibility are excluded from the register of SO-called NGOs, Olga Zanko emphasized.

— I will propose such amendments to the second reading, — said the parliamentarian.

Natalia Poluyanova noted that the decision to adopt this bill was absolutely correct and she would support it.

Andrey Alshevskikh added that the State Duma is seriously dealing with the issue of foreign agents.

"We have ideas and thoughts in our work," he said. — We are seriously discussing it, but we would not like to get ahead of ourselves.

Ekaterina Kosareva suggested that one of the options for restricting foreign agents may be a ban on renting out real estate. This measure will limit their economic activity, as renting real estate can serve as a source of income and a platform for further activities. However, before taking such steps, it is necessary to carefully study the legal and economic consequences.