A State Duma deputy has requested that the Prosecutor General's Office investigate funding received by the Dozhd TV television channel, the TASS news agency reported Tuesday.
Rodina political party leader and Duma deputy Alexei Zhuravlyev wrote a letter to prosecutors asking that they investigate the television channel's finances.
The deputy asked the prosecutors to examine the partnership between Dozhd and the Rolf automative dealer and to investigate reports that the television channel received 1.8 million rubles from Moscow's Polytechnic Museum.
Zhuravlyev in September asked Russia's Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to perform an inspection of Dozhd, according to the party's website.
Zhuravlyev claimed at the time that Dozhd was violating licensing rules by “systematically broadcasting BBC and Deutsche Welle content.”
Prosecutors performed an inspection of the television channel's office on Nov. 7. They claimed to be investigating the channel's activities in relation to anti-extremism, labor and licensing legislation, according to documents provided by prosecutors and published by Dozhd’s general director Natalya Sindeyeva on Facebook.
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.
