The French government has condemned Moscow’s latest move against independent voices after Russia banned Reporters Without Borders, adding the press freedom NGO to its list of "undesirable organisations".
France has voiced its "dismay" at Russia’s decision to outlaw the press freedom NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The French Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the move formed part of a broader campaign of repression against critical voices, carried out in "flagrant disregard for freedom of expression and press freedom."
Paris also renewed its call for the "immediate and unconditional release of all those prosecuted for political reasons" and urged Russia to honour its international commitments on the right to information and free access to news.
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'Undesirable organisations'
On 14 August, Russia’s Ministry of Justice announced that RSF had been added to its list of so-called undesirable organisations.
The designation effectively bans the group’s activities inside Russia, placing staff, supporters and funders at risk of prosecution and possible prison sentences.
The Paris-based NGO, campaigns globally for press freedom, documenting violations and providing practical support to journalists working in hostile environments.
In Russia, the group has consistently denounced attacks on independent reporting, censorship, and the targeting of reporters who investigate sensitive topics such as corruption, abuses of power and the war in Ukraine.
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Decade-long clampdown
This is not the first time Moscow has sought to muzzle international organisations. Over the past decade, Russian authorities have tightened restrictions on foreign NGOs through laws branding them as "foreign agents" or "undesirable."
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Memorial – one of Russia’s most prominent human rights groups – have all faced severe curbs or outright bans.
Such measures typically criminalise normal organisational activity, exposing staff and even supporters to fines or prison terms, and are widely seen as part of a strategy to isolate Russian society from international scrutiny.
The clampdown has grown sharper since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
RSF has pledged to continue its work despite the ban, insisting that it will not abandon the Russian journalists it supports.
