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Russia’s parliamentary commission to probe into US media’s activities in Russia

The checks are aimed at finding out whether the US media are consistent with the Russian law

© EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) has handed instructions to its Committee for Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications to probe into the activities of Radio Liberty, the Voice of America, CNN and other US media outlets to figure out if they were consistent with the Russian law. The instructions were initiated by Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, European Integration and Relations with Compatriots.

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"I request the State Duma Committee for Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications to probe into the activities of the US media outlets, including Radio Liberty, the Voice of America and CNN, to figure out it they are consistent with the Russian law," the document reads.

"The US politicians, who had been repeatedly accusing the Russian media of interfering in Washington’s internal affairs, moved from rhetoric to action after the US presidential election," the document adds.

Zatulin pointed out that on March 14, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen introduced a bill giving the US Justice Department additional authority to investigate Russia’s English-language TV channel RT America for possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

"Taking into account the fact that investigations based on a repressive bill can damage the reputation of the Russian TV channel and Russia in general, I believe it necessary to take proactive measures," Zatulin stressed.

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