MOSCOW, (Reuters) – The Justice Ministry has added a Russian top human rights lawyer named Alexei Navalny to their list of foreign agents. He was defending the Anti-Corruption Foundation for the jailed opposition leader.

Ivan Pavlov, four additional lawyers, were added to the list of journalists and rights activists who receive funding from foreign sources.

All those listed have to comply with stringent financial reporting obligations and must preface any publication with a disclaimer declaring they are foreign agent, which has negative connotations that suggest spying.

Pavlov described it on his social media channels as an honor badge.

He said, “To be a foreign agent today is almost as if you were receiving a prize from the state for services in freedom of speech or information.” It would be a shame not to be among the many honorees on this long list, which includes such a number of brilliant journalists and rights-defenders.

Pavlov was arrested in April on suspicion of disclosing classified material in defense of Ivan Safronov (who is currently being held on treason and other charges).

Pavlov was a leader in defense of Navalny’s network of political activists at closed hearings earlier this year. The groups were then banned from the list as they are “extremist”.

Navalny, himself is being held for parole violations in a case of embezzlement he alleges was trumped up. After returning from Germany, where he was recovering from nerve agent poisoning in Russia, he was taken into custody in Moscow.

Kremlin denies that media have been persecuted. It says “foreign agent legislation” is required to protect Russia against foreign interference.