Moscow Court Issues Arrest Warrant for 'Dождь' Founder and CEO

Moscow's Presnensky District Court issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Natalia Sindeeva, founder of the TV channel

Consensus

The Presnensky District Court of Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Natalia Sindeeva and Mark Tena.
The arrest was issued in absentia.
Sindeeva and Tena are accused under Article 284.1, Part 3 of the Russian Criminal Code for organizing the activities of a foreign or international organization declared undesirable in Russia.
The court ordered their detention for two months from the time of actual detention in Russia or from the time they are handed over to Russian authorities.
The case was initiated in August of the current year.
The TV channel 'Dождь' operates through the legal entity TVR Studios B.V. (Netherlands).
In 2023, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office declared SIA TV Rain (Latvia) and TVR Studios B.V. (Netherlands) as undesirable organizations.
The reasons cited for declaring them undesirable include spreading materials of extremist and terrorist organizations, foreign agents, discrediting authorities, and spreading false information about the special military operation.
The channel 'Dождь' was previously recognized as a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
The channel ceased operations in Russia in March 2022.
Sindeeva and Tena are listed as wanted persons and are subject to extradition or deportation.

The charge is under Article 284.3 of the Russian Criminal Code, not Article 284.1. — mediazona
The report includes a description of the channel's activities as 'independent and objective coverage of major events in Russia, including daily news broadcasts, production and broadcasting of original programs, and dissemination of news about Russia through various platforms.' — tvrain
The channel was founded in 2008, recognized as a foreign agent in August 2021, and Mark Tena became general director in April 2024. — kommerant
The channel was blocked by Roskomnadzor on March 1, 2022, and ceased operations two days later. — fontanka