The Tagansky Court in Moscow has opened an administrative case against actor Semyon Treskunov, who is designated as a foreign agent in Russia. The development reflects ongoing enforcement of the foreign agents regime and its impact on public figures who maintain a public profile online. Court filings indicate the dispute centers on compliance with the procedures that govern foreign agent activity and the labeling of materials connected to such status.
Treskunov faces charges under Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, Part 4, for violating the procedure relating to foreign agent activities. If found liable, he could face a fine ranging from thirty thousand to fifty thousand rubles. The case is based on the absence of the required foreign agent label on his social media accounts, with prosecutors arguing that online platforms are part of official activity where labeling is mandatory.
Earlier in October, he was fined 40,000 rubles under the foreign agents law. This penalty underscores the seriousness with which authorities enforce labeling duties and serves as a reminder that ongoing noncompliance can lead to additional sanctions.
In 2022 the actor obtained Israeli citizenship. After the start of the operation in Ukraine, he traveled to Israel and later moved to Spain. While abroad, he began using the name Sam and took charge of his social media in English. In March 2024 the Russian Ministry of Justice designated him a foreign agent.
In April, he stated that he began offering acting lessons to students outside the country, focusing on non-professional performers. He noted that his students worked on monologues and recorded themselves on camera as part of their training.
Earlier, another figure known as Dudya, identified by authorities as a foreign media agent in Russia, faced an administrative matter.