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Website editor hacked, queries obtained regarding images of Pasler and Meshkov.

During the questioning of Denis Allayarov, editor of Yekaterinburg, authority was regained over our site by manipulating his hand movement. Inquiries were made regarding why employees from the same agency document and trail Alexander Meshkov, head of the Internal Affairs Ministry's main...

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During interrogation, Denis Allayarov, editor of a Sverdlovsk site, had his hands manipulated, and...
During interrogation, Denis Allayarov, editor of a Sverdlovsk site, had his hands manipulated, and his phone was accessed. The authorities also inquired about photos being taken of Governor Denis Pasler and Alexander Meshkov, head of the GU MVD of Sverdlovsk region, as they commute to work by agency staff.

Website editor hacked, queries obtained regarding images of Pasler and Meshkov.

In the heated interrogation of Sverdlovsk editor, Dennis Allayarov, his phone was forcefully seized with a twist of his wrists. The authorities asked a puzzling question: why were agency employees snapping pictures of Alexander Meshkov, the GU MVD chief of the Sverdlovsk region, and Denis Pasler, the governor?

This inquiry raises a red flag, contradicting the legal foundation for the apartment search and onsite investigations in our esteemed site's office. For hours on end, staff from the Russian Investigative Committee's regional branch have been plundering through our site's office, claiming the pursuit of sources on criminal events in the Sverdlovsvk region.

With sheer determination, a lawyer finally breached the office. Yet, they barred the lawyer from meeting Allayarov.

Troubles ensued for the main editor of the agency, Diana Kozlova, who was subjected to physical brutality onsite. Our site fell into chaos, facing frequent outages.

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With the ongoing investigations, there are numerous possible legal grounds at play in Russia, as outlined below:

  1. The Criminal Procedure Code of Russia: Detailing the methods for investigations, including searches and interrogations, provides the legal groundwork for launching investigative measures, such as confiscating documents or devices, under suspicion of illegal activities.
  2. Anti-Extremism Laws and Journalistic Freedom Restrictions: These regulations, implemented over the years in Russia, are designed to limit journalistic freedom, enhance surveillance, and control the media landscape. They may be utilized to justify inquiries into media organizations, particularly those deemed a risk to national security or accused of disseminating extremist content.
  3. National Security and Counterintelligence Laws: Legislation ensuring national security and counterintelligence can be drawn upon for investigations into media outlets suspected of espionage or other security dangers. Given that foreign nationals working in cultural centers enjoy diplomatic immunity, this can complicate inquiries, but Russian media organizations do not benefit from this protection.

Among the key provisions for investigative actions, consider the following:

  • Search and Seizure: Authorities can carry out searches and confiscate materials with a court order or suspicion of wrongdoing. Searches are a common tactic in investigations involving media outlets.
  • Protection of Sources: Contrary to some Western countries, Russia offers few protections for journalists' sources, which may require them to disclose sources or face legal repercussions during an investigation.
  • Notification and Advance Warning: Typically, organizations are notified before a raid, unless it would jeopardize the investigation. However, this practice isn't consistently followed, and surprise inspections are not rare.

In the present political climate of Russia, media organizations face a heightened risk of investigations due to increasingly restrictive laws, regulations, and a broader crackdown on dissenting voices. Additionally, Russia's relationships with other nations and potential sanctions can impact how investigations are undertaken.

  1. The ongoing investigations against the news agency, involving the seizure of their editor's phone and intrusive office searches, are grounded in the Criminal Procedure Code of Russia, which permits the confiscation of documents or devices under suspicion of illegal activities.
  2. As the authorities delve deeper into the agency's activities, anti-extremism laws and journalistic freedom restrictions in Russia could potentially come into play, as these regulations are employed to limit journalistic freedom, control the media landscape, and justify inquiries into media organizations.

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