MOSCOW. July 28 (Interfax) - A search of the home of Roman Dobrokhotov, editor-in-chief of the online publication The Insider (designated a foreign agent by the Russian Justice Ministry), in a criminal case concerning libel against a Dutch journalist has been completed, lawyer Oksana Oparenko said.
"The search has been finished, and Roman's mobile phones, laptop, tablet, and foreign travel passport have been seized," Oparenko, a lawyer for the Pravozashchita Otkrytki human rights organization, told Interfax on Wednesday.
Pravozashchita Otkrytki said it is likely that Dobrokhotov will be taken to an investigative office for questioning.
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that Dobrokhotov is being treated as a witness in the case.
Pravozashchita Otkrytki also said that the case was opened on libel charges on April 26, 2021.
"According to the theory of the police department for Moscow's Western Administrative District, an unidentified person tweeted 'disinformation on downed Flight MH17' on a Twitter account belonging to the user Roman Dobrokhotov at an unidentified place no later than November 12, 2020," it said.
As reported earlier on Wednesday, the criminal case has been opened based on a statement from lawyer Stalina Gurevich, who is defending the interests of Dutch journalist Max van der Werff. According to Gurevich, Dobrokhotov circulated libelous information alleging that her client was leaking information on Flight MH17, downed over Donbas, for monetary reward.
Interfax could not immediately obtain comments from law enforcement agencies.
After The Insider was placed on the list of media acting as foreign agents, Dobrokhotov told Interfax that the publication would continue working as before and would not follow the requirements that such media are supposed to comply with, as it is registered in Latvia.