Seagull can check "Dozhd" / D. Abramov / Vedomosti

The leader of the Rodina party, State Duma deputy Alexei Zhuravlev, has appealed to the Russian Prosecutor General's Office with a demand to check the sources of funding for the Dozhd TV channel.

The request, a copy of which is at TASS's disposal, was prepared in the name of the Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. The document notes that the Ruposters website contains information according to which the TV channel received more than 1.8 million rubles for "the creation of inter-program commercials and their placement on the TV channel's air" by the Polytechnic Museum.

Dozhd TV Channel to be Checked for Counteracting Extremism

Politics / Security and Law

"In connection with the dubious nature of the transaction and the lack of justification for the targeted use of state funds, we ask you to order a prosecutorial investigation into this fact, as well as to check the transaction for compliance with Russian legislation," the request states.

Zhuravlev believes that it is necessary to conduct a separate investigation into the cooperation between Dozhd and the holding company selling cars in Russia, Rolf . The deputy refers to Russian legislation, reminding that advertisers cooperating with cable TV channels must meet certain criteria. "In connection with the possible violation of current legislation by the Dozhd TV channel, we ask you to order a prosecutorial investigation into this fact," the appeal states.

Zhuravlev asks to be informed about the results of the prosecutor's investigation "within the timeframes established by law." He has prepared a similar request to the Investigative Committee of Russia.

This is not Zhuravlev's first request regarding Dozhd. In September 2015, he already asked the Prosecutor General's Office to check the TV channel's compliance with licensing legislation. Zhuravlev emphasized that Dozhd periodically broadcast BBC and Deutsche Welle programs. According to the deputy, the TV channel's license does not allow it to broadcast content from other TV companies. The parliamentarian said that Dozhd selects stories that discredit Russia's activities. The Prosecutor General's Office did not conduct an investigation into this request.

Testing for countering extremism

The day before, on December 7, the TV channel was checked for compliance with the law on combating extremism and terrorism, labor legislation and legislation on media licensing. The check was organized after citizens' appeal. This is stated in the notice of the Ostankino interdistrict prosecutor's office.

"The TV channel is currently undergoing a prosecutor's inspection. Along with the prosecutor's office, representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations have also arrived," Dozhd TV channel investor Alexander Vinokurov told Vedomosti.

On the same day, RBC, citing sources, reported that Dozhd helped Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) conduct an initial investigation into the business of the sons of Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika.

The results of the investigation were published on December 1. FBK representative Kira Yarmysh did not comment on Dozhd's involvement in the investigation. Dozhd TV channel editor-in-chief Mikhail Zygar told Vedomosti that the channel had begun conducting its own investigation into the Chaika family, but the channel did not have enough resources to complete the investigation and some of the materials were transferred to the FBK. He is not aware that the investigation is being conducted due to FBK's involvement in preparing the material.

"Dozhd", Bolotnaya Square and the LDPR

In February 2012, the capital's prosecutor's office checked the sources of funding for Dozhd's video broadcasts of opposition rallies on Bolotnaya Square and Academician Sakharov Avenue. The check was initiated by deputy Robert Shlegel. At the time, the parliamentarian told Interfax that the request had been sent back in March. "In essence, this is a request for information. In my opinion, Dozhd's participation in covering the rallies was more than active. We can say that in this situation they acted as information sponsors of these events," the deputy said. The check was conducted by the Zamoskvoretsky Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office.

In 2014, the LDPR proposed that the State Duma request information from the Ministry of Communications about who made the decision on preferential terms for the channel's broadcasting. "We propose that the State Duma issue a protocol instruction to the Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications to request the Ministry of Communications to find out who exactly contributed to the decision on preferential access to information resources for the Dozhd TV channel," said deputy Vadim Dengin. At that time, the discussion was about the need to check the officials involved in this decision for "possible corruption motives."

At the same time, the leader of the United Russia faction, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Vasiliev stated that society does not forgive insults to veterans of the Great Patriotic War and those who cannot stand up for themselves. In January 2014, the TV channel conducted a survey "Was it necessary to surrender Leningrad to save hundreds of thousands of lives?" The survey caused a big scandal. Cable and satellite operators disconnected Dozhd from their own networks. Because of this, the TV channel lost 80% of its audience. Dozhd laid off more than 50% of its employees and held a fundraising marathon. The cost of a subscription increased from 1,000 to 4,800 rubles per year.

In the spring of 2015, the LDPR appealed to law enforcement agencies with a demand to check the actions of the deputy head of Rospechat Vladimir Grigoriev. According to the faction, the official "was actually the initiator" of "the allocation of state support to the Dozhd TV channel and other opposition media. "We are talking about the Dozhd TV channel, which received unprecedented funding in the amount of 31 million rubles," said the first deputy head of the LDPR faction, Alexei Didenko. Then the LDPR promised to initiate inspections of Dozhd by the Accounts Chamber and law enforcement agencies.

Deputies ask Chaika to check Dozhd