Tax Service Launches Unscheduled Audit of Dozhd

The Federal Tax Service has launched an unscheduled inspection of Dozhd. The channel's general director, Natalya Sindeeva, told Mediazona about this.

“Apparently, the request for documents is taking place outside the framework of a desk or on-site audit, since we did not find a reference to an order to conduct such an audit in the text of the requirement,” Sindeeva said.

Earlier, the TV channel's CEO posted a photo of a request from the tax service on Facebook. The Federal Tax Service demanded that Dozhd provide documents to verify its income and expenses, relationships with foreign organizations, rental of premises, and loan agreements.

Sindeeva, based on the list of requested documents, assumed that the inspection was related to the TV channel's coverage of protests in support of independent candidates for the Moscow City Duma. "I hope there are no serious reasons to worry. We are already preparing the documents," she concluded.

Earlier, the police came to the TV channel’s studio during coverage of the July 27 protest to summon Dozhd editor-in-chief Alexandra Perepelova for questioning by the Investigative Committee.

The Tax Service, together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the prosecutor's office, already inspected Dozhd in 2015. RBC, citing sources, wrote that before the inspection, the TV channel participated in an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) into the business of the sons of Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika.