Support The Moscow Times!

Prosecutors Demand Financial Data From Web TV Outlet Dozhd

The general director of Web television channel Dozhd said Thursday that Moscow prosecutors have requested information from the channel regarding its financing of coverage of two opposition rallies held in December.

Prosecutors are acting on a request by State Duma deputy from the ruling United Russia party Robert Shlegel, according to a copy of the prosecutor's request posted by Dozhd head Natalya Sindeyeva on Twitter.

Shlegel said in messages on Twitter that he had filed a request with prosecutors in December, asking them to check whether Dozhd had served as a sponsor and organizer of opposition rallies at Bolotnaya Ploshchad and Prospekt Akademika Sakharova.

"Dozhd, in my view, acted as an 'information sponsor' and partly as an organizer of these events," the Duma deputy wrote.

"The question arose whether this is simple interest or whether it has a financial motive underneath it," he wrote.

In addition to information regarding Dozhd's coverage of the rallies, prosecutors also requested tax documents and a copy of the channel's editorial charter.

Earlier this week, radio station Ekho Moskvy announced that its owner, Gazprom-Media, had demanded a reshuffling of the station's board of directors, prompting fresh fears of censorship by authorities.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more