MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the US authorities to answer the question of what constitutional amendment they were guided by when they did not let Scott Ritter leave the country.

"By order of the US State Department, American police removed columnist Scott Ritter from the flight, who was heading to the St. Petersburg Forum (SPIEF - TASS). Was this done in accordance with the First Amendment to the US Constitution or the Fourth?" Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.

Former US Marine Corps Intelligence Officer and UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter told TASS that he was not let board a flight from New York to Istanbul, a stopover on his way to Russia to take part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. He also said that no explanations were given to him. The police, in his words, said only that it was done at the order from the Department of State.

The First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and the Fourth Amendment prohibits ungrounded searches and seizures.