Russian Lawmaker Calls For Probe Into Voice Of America Over 'Instigating Separatism'

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2021) Senior Russian lawmaker Vasilii Piskarev lodged a request with the Prosecutor General's Office for a legal assessment of content released by the Voice of America radio station (recognized in Russia as a foreign agent), in which "attempts are made to incite separatism and precipitate the collapse of Russia," the country's lower house said on Monday.

"The West will not abandon its attempts to incite separatist sentiments in Russia and cherishes dreams of tearing our country apart," Piskarev said, commenting on the station's report on the Free Russia Forum, a conference of the Russian opposition, that was held last week in Vilnius.

He stressed that "any calls to violate the integrity of Russia, to separate any of its regions or their parts, are recognized as extremism under our law."

"Such actions can result in both administrative and criminal penalties.

I decided to send the contents of the report made by the Voice of America to the Prosecutor General's Office for the legal assessment," Piskarev, the head of the parliamentary Commission on the Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs, stated.

The Voice of America's report on the opposition's forum included the statement of a participant of the conference, who said that one of the ways to "the victory over Putin's regime" was disintegration of Russia.

"In fact, the opposition, with Western support, is openly suggesting destroying the country in order to fight its official government," the lawmaker said.

Voice of America and Radio Liberty / Free Europe, which were included in the list of foreign agents in Russia in 2017, are overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. The agency is fully funded by the US budget.