UK nationals threatened with jail over Russia associations

(MENAFN) The UK government has announced that individuals working for Russian state entities must register under a new "foreign influence" monitoring scheme or face up to five years in prison. The policy, unveiled in parliament by Security Secretary Dan Jarvis, requires those involved with Russian state institutions to register under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), which will take effect by summer.

The measure, which already includes those working on behalf of Iran, is part of the UK’s strategy to combat foreign interference and is being applied most stringently to Russia. Jarvis highlighted Russia's serious threat to national security, citing its hostile actions towards the UK, such as harassment of diplomats, cyberattacks, and alleged sabotage attempts.

Individuals linked to various Russian state branches—including the president, intelligence services, armed forces, and political parties—will be required to declare their activities in the UK. Failure to comply with the registration requirements could lead to criminal prosecution and imprisonment. This policy follows similar scrutiny measures applied to Iran’s government and intelligence agencies earlier this year.

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