Tax officials apologized Monday for summoning famous writer Vasily Aksyonov — who died in 2009 — but whom they nevertheless wanted to interview as a witness, Interfax said.
A copy of a summons, sent in February and published by Ekho Moskvy on Saturday, said Aksyonov was to be interviewed about tax claims for his publisher, Astrel. Federal Tax Service head Mikhail Mishutin later publicly apologized to the writer's family for the mistake, which was blamed on a database error.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
