Russian law enforcement authorities issued an arrest warrant for Tikhon Dzyadko, the editor-in-chief of the exiled broadcaster TV Rain, the news website Mediazona reported Wednesday.
A wanted notice for Dzyadko appeared in the Russian Interior Ministry’s database after a Moscow court in February pressed administrative charges against him and three other journalists for having ties to an “undesirable” organization.
TV Rain, where Dzyadko has served as chief editor since 2019, was designated as “undesirable” in Russia in 2023.
The “undesirable” designation bans TV Rain’s work inside Russia, puts staff members at risk of jail time and criminalizes engagement with the broadcaster, including sharing its content online.
Soon after invading Ukraine in early 2022, Russian authorities ordered TV Rain to suspend operations. The independent network relocated to Riga, Latvia, and then later to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Russia’s Justice Ministry also labeled Dzyadko a “foreign agent” in October 2022.
A Moscow court fined Dzyadko in July 2023 for failing to carry out “foreign agent” obligations, which include submitting rigorous financial reports and displaying “foreign agent” disclaimers in publications and social media posts.
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