VLADIVOSTOK, September 6. /TASS/. The politically motivated persecution of Dimitri Simes shows that the US authorities don’t care about human rights, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Earlier, the US authorities filed charges against Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia for violating US sanctions. A statement from the US Justice Department said that they allegedly "participated in a scheme to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), by providing services to Channel One Russia" and were engaged "in a scheme to commit money laundering."

"All the human rights norms that the West has imposed on the whole world, they've not only failed to observe, they've trampled on them, forgotten them. In recent years, the situation in the United States has become much worse - we are talking about the persecution of people. People are persecuted for dissent, for political views, for trying to defend the obvious truth," the diplomat said. Zakharova also recalled that Simes had previously been granted Russian citizenship.

Dimitri and Anastasia Simes are charged with three counts of conspiracy to violate sanctions against Channel One, direct violation of said sanctions and money laundering. They face up to 20 years in prison on each count. In addition, Anastasia Simes is charged separately with two counts of violating sanctions against Udodov. She could also face up to 20 years in prison on each count.

The case against Dimitri and Anastasia Simes was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia. They are believed to be in Russia, according to a statement from the US Justice Department.