A journalist from Syktyvkar who emigrated has been declared wanted under the ‘foreign agent’ article.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has declared journalist Elena Solovyova from Komi wanted in relation to a case of “failure to fulfil the duties of a foreign agent” (Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code), reports “Mediazona.”

Solovyova left for Canada and stopped submitting reports to the Ministry of Justice, as Canadian post does not operate with Russia, and no funds were being transferred to her Russian bank accounts.

The journalist was added to the list of “foreign agents” in October 2021. Previously, she collaborated with Novaya Gazeta, 7×7, and Sever.Realii. She now lives in Quebec, works for local French-language media, and produces the podcast “Voices of the Forest” about Komi culture and mythology.

• In February 2021, the journalist was fined 10,000 roubles (US$110) for being present at a demonstration in support of Alexei Navalny on 23 January 2021. The police and court decided that, although she had press credentials for the Pravda Komi newspaper, she violated the rules for participating in the rally (Part 5, Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences) because she did not have “clearly visible distinguishing marks” of a correspondent and failed to comply with police orders to “cease unlawful actions and disperse.”