Moscow court orders arrest in absentia of journalist Andrei Soldatov

A Moscow court has ordered the arrest in absentia of prominent journalist Andrei Soldatov, who has previously been designated a “foreign agent” in Russia.

Soldatov is accused of failing to comply with the legal obligations attached to the foreign agent label and of taking part in the activities of an international organisation that Russia has declared undesirable, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

The charges relate to legislation introduced in recent years that expands the authorities’ powers to penalise individuals and groups deemed to be under foreign influence.

Earlier, Soldatov wrote on his Facebook page that his bank accounts in Russia had also been frozen.

By Aghakazim Guliyev