A troubling trend is taking root across Europe. Inspired by a 2012 Russian law, several authoritarian regimes are now experimenting with so-called "foreign agent laws." In Russia, this legislation has severely weakened political opposition, civil society, and independent media. It asks organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register with the authorities as “foreign agents.”
In his report Foreign Agent Laws: A Worrying Trend, Christian Holland notes that “The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the archetypal foreign agent law violates fundamental rights and exhibits the “hallmarks of totalitarianism”, imposing punitive sanctions on NGOs and curtailing journalists’ ability to participate in public life.” In Georgia, a similar law was introduced in 2023 but was withdrawn after significant public and media resistance—only to be passed by the pro-Russian government in May 2024. Other countries are following. In May 2025, an EU member—Viktor Orbán’s Hungary—considered adopting such a law. Though it has been postponed, the threat still looms over the survival of Hungarian independent media.
So, how can we resist the interference of regimes seeking to suppress independent journalism? Can pan-European solidarity movements and networks help push back against these authoritarian measures? And what lessons can be drawn from media organisations already operating under foreign agent laws—so we can better prepare for what may come?
With:Gábor Kardos (444), Mariam Nikuradze (OC Media), Ena Bavčić (European Centre for Press and Media Freedom), Manon Moulin (Reset! network)
Moderation: Alexandra Tyan (Sphera & Médianes)
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A troubling trend is taking root across Europe. Inspired by a 2012 Russian law, several authoritarian regimes are now experimenting with so-called "foreign agent laws." In Russia, this legislation has severely weakened political opposition, civil society, and independent media. It asks organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register with the authorities as “foreign agents.”
In his report Foreign Agent Laws: A Worrying Trend, Christian Holland notes that “The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the archetypal foreign agent law violates fundamental rights and exhibits the “hallmarks of totalitarianism”, imposing punitive sanctions on NGOs and curtailing journalists’ ability to participate in public life.” In Georgia, a similar law was introduced in 2023 but was withdrawn after significant public and media resistance—only to be passed by the pro-Russian government in May 2024. Other countries are following. In May 2025, an EU member—Viktor Orbán’s Hungary—considered adopting such a law. Though it has been postponed, the threat still looms over the survival of Hungarian independent media.
So, how can we resist the interference of regimes seeking to suppress independent journalism? Can pan-European solidarity movements and networks help push back against these authoritarian measures? And what lessons can be drawn from media organisations already operating under foreign agent laws—so we can better prepare for what may come?
With:Gábor Kardos (444), Mariam Nikuradze (OC Media), Ena Bavčić (European Centre for Press and Media Freedom), Manon Moulin (Reset! network)
Moderation: Alexandra Tyan (Sphera & Médianes)
La tech comme nouvelle force coloniale - En partenariat avec Histoires Crépues
Radio Lab
1 hour 15 minutes 50 seconds
6 months ago
La tech comme nouvelle force coloniale - En partenariat avec Histoires Crépues
Qu’est ce que le technocolonialisme et comment faire advenir les luttes pour l’indépendance dont nous avons besoin ? Si les grandes entreprises de la tech sont devenues des empires, c’est bien que nous avons été colonisés par leurs déploiements techniques. Face aux logiques extractives – de l’extraction des métaux et terres rares dans le Sud global aux biais racistes des intelligences artificielles – le numérique se révèle être un nouveau terrain de colonialisme, incarné aujourd’hui par le colonialisme des données. Cet ordre social, où l’extraction continue de données génère des richesses massives et des inégalités globales, impose un contrat social où le progrès exige de livrer nos informations aux entreprises sans condition. La numérisation de nos existences redéfinit profondément les relations de pouvoir, rappelant que le capitalisme, intrinsèquement lié au colonialisme, exploite nos vies, comme le soulignait Achille Mbembe : « nous sommes le minerai que nos objets sont chargés d’extraire ».
Modéré par Histoires Crépues, ce panel offrira une plateforme pour réfléchir aux nouveaux enjeux numériques dans la lutte décoloniale.
avec Assia Wirth (Doctorant·e en sociologie | FR), David Maenda Kithoko (Génération Lumière | CD), Laurence Meyer (Weaving Liberation | FR)
Modération : Seumboy (Histoires Crépues | FR)
Radio Lab
A troubling trend is taking root across Europe. Inspired by a 2012 Russian law, several authoritarian regimes are now experimenting with so-called "foreign agent laws." In Russia, this legislation has severely weakened political opposition, civil society, and independent media. It asks organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register with the authorities as “foreign agents.”
In his report Foreign Agent Laws: A Worrying Trend, Christian Holland notes that “The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the archetypal foreign agent law violates fundamental rights and exhibits the “hallmarks of totalitarianism”, imposing punitive sanctions on NGOs and curtailing journalists’ ability to participate in public life.” In Georgia, a similar law was introduced in 2023 but was withdrawn after significant public and media resistance—only to be passed by the pro-Russian government in May 2024. Other countries are following. In May 2025, an EU member—Viktor Orbán’s Hungary—considered adopting such a law. Though it has been postponed, the threat still looms over the survival of Hungarian independent media.
So, how can we resist the interference of regimes seeking to suppress independent journalism? Can pan-European solidarity movements and networks help push back against these authoritarian measures? And what lessons can be drawn from media organisations already operating under foreign agent laws—so we can better prepare for what may come?
With:Gábor Kardos (444), Mariam Nikuradze (OC Media), Ena Bavčić (European Centre for Press and Media Freedom), Manon Moulin (Reset! network)
Moderation: Alexandra Tyan (Sphera & Médianes)
