Moscow Court Upholds ‘Foreign Agent’ Label for Ex-Tarakany Frontman as Prosecutors Pursue Criminal Case

Overview

• On December 11, the Zamoskvoretsky Court in Moscow refused to lift Dmitry Spirin’s foreign‑agent status, citing collaborations with the Dutch band Antidot and musician Vladimir Kotlyarov.
• Court materials also note Spirin’s appearances as a respondent on platforms linked to foreign agents or foreign media, including the YouTube channels Popularnaya Politika and The Insider.
• The Ministry of Justice designated Spirin a foreign agent in June 2024 after an analysis of his public activity and distribution of materials.
• The Moscow prosecutor’s office reported that Spirin was twice penalized within a year for violating foreign‑agent rules yet continued to share posts in a messenger without the required label.
• The Lefortovo interdistrict prosecutor’s office sent findings to investigators to consider charges under Criminal Code Article 330.1, part 2, for alleged evasion of foreign‑agent obligations.