Russian Police Raid Home Of Investigative Journalist Over Slander Case

The Insider has worked with Bellingcat on projects including an investigation into what Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny says was an attempt to kill him.

Russian police took Roman Dobrokhotov, editor-in-chief of investigative media outlet The Insider, in for questioning over a slander case and searched his home on Wednesday, moves allies said were part a crackdown on media critical of the Kremlin. The Insider is an online outlet that has published stories about the lives of Russia's secretive elite and collaborated with Bellingcat, an outlet whose investigations into Moscow's intelligence services have been condemned by Russian state officials as Western propaganda, something it denies. The Insider, which the justice ministry last week labelled a "foreign agent" ahead of September's parliamentary elections, has worked with Bellingcat on projects including an investigation into what Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny says was an attempt to kill him. The "foreign agent" term carries negative Soviet-era connotations and subjects those designated to extra government scrutiny and labelling requirements.