YouTuber Yury Dud Faces Potential Imprisonment Over Continued Violations of Russias ‘Foreign Agent’ Law

On Monday, prosecutors in Moscow announced their intention to file criminal charges against well-known YouTuber and journalist Yury Dud for repeatedly breaching Russia’s “foreign agent” law.

At 38, Dud was labeled a “foreign agent” in April 2022, shortly after he publicly criticized Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling it an “imperial frenzy.” He departed the country soon thereafter and was unsuccessful in challenging this designation in court.

The Moscow Prosecutor’s Office has accused Dud of continuing to publish content online without the necessary disclaimer indicating his “foreign agent” status. He has already faced fines on two occasions for not including this required label.

Violating the “foreign agent” law multiple times can lead to a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

The authorities utilize the “foreign agent” designation, which evokes memories of the Soviet era, to target individuals and organizations they regard as adversaries of the state. Those designated are obligated to file detailed financial reports with the Ministry of Justice and to include “foreign agent” disclaimers in their publications and social media.

Dud, who previously worked as a sports reporter, started his long-form interview channel on YouTube in 2017, amassing over 10 million subscribers. His channel frequently features prominent public figures such as politicians, musicians, journalists, and business executives.

Prosecutors have indicated that they have passed the case to investigators to pursue criminal charges against Dud.