The Investigative Committee has opened an investigation into who is responsible for creating fake videos showing voting fraud during the upcoming presidential election and will check to see if a crime has been committed, RIA-Novosti reported Thursday.
The pre-filmed phony videos appeared online a week before the March 4 election, purporting to show violations being committed at polling stations.
“If signs of a crime are confirmed in the actions of those who created and posted the videos, it will be decided whether to open a criminal case,” committee head Sergei Markin said Thursday.
Central Elections Commission head Vladimir Churov made mention Tuesday of such bogus videos in a meeting of regional elections commission chairs.
He? called on them to react calmly to such “provocations,” RIA-Novosti reported.
The move may be part of an attempt to accuse Kremlin critics of foul play ahead of Sunday’s vote which Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is widely expected to win.
Putin had earlier claimed that the ?opposition was preparing to fake evidence of vote-rigging to cast doubt on the vote.
Members of the opposition have said the fake videos are aimed at discrediting authentic footage of falsifications being committed.
After videos were posted online showing fraud in December’s State Duma elections, Churov dismissed them as phony, saying they were shot with actors in film studios.
Those videos helped fuel widespread protests against election fraud. Despite the rallies, authorities have stonewalled demands to punish those accused of vote-rigging.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.