Russian Investigative Committee agents search publishing house connected with writer Boris Akunin

Russian Investigative Committee agents searched the Zakharov publishing house, which publishes books by Boris Akunin.

Irina Bogat, the publishing house’s director, told Mediazona that there was one employee in the office when law enforcement arrived. When the employee asked to photograph the search warrant, she was denied and her phone was confiscated. Bogat believes the search is connected with the publishing house's decision to not remove Akunin's books from sale.

A source in law enforcement told TASS that the search was part of the case brought against Akunin.

On December 18, Russia’s financial monitoring service added Akunin to its registry of “extremists and terrorists.” Shortly thereafter, the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Akunin for “fakes” about the Russian army and “justifying terrorism.”