The Russian parliament has launched after the protests of recent weeks, an investigation into a „foreign interference“ in Russian domestic policy.
Duma President Vyacheslav Volodin said yesterday, according to reports by Russian news agencies, diplomats and foreign journalists should be summoned to a parliamentary committee to comment on the allegations. For this purpose, the Duma will set up a committee, which will start work at the end of August.
In early August, Moscow had summoned a US diplomat to protest against US Embassy publications relating to the opposition rallies. The Russian authorities saw in it „propaganda for participation“ in the demonstrations, although US citizens were advised in the Internet publications to stay away from the rallies.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also criticized the reporting of Deutsche Welle, because it is said to have called for participation in the demonstrations.
At the rallies, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Moscow for free local elections. More than 3,000 participants were arrested, including the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
He was sentenced to more than 30 days in jail at the end of July for calling for unauthorized demonstrations. Western governments protested against the „disproportionate“ use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
