Media: Novaya-Europe’s Ilya Azar ‘probed for discreditation of army’

Investigators are probing Novaya-Europe’s reporter Ilya Azar on the account of “discreditation of Russia’s army, Baza and RIA Novosti cite their sources.

“Azar published a post on social media in June, in which he discredited the Russian military in every possible way,” a source told RIA Novosti.

Baza says Azar’s Facebook post he wrote on the 100th day of the war is the reason behind the investigation.

“100 (one hundred) days of this crazy, senseless, disgusting war. There is nothing new to say, so I will repeat myself: stop the war immediately, you bastards, stop killing children, old people, women, and men in Ukraine and destroying the future of our country,” Azar wrote back then.

Azar is unaware of any details behind the investigation. He was fined twice last summer for “discrediting the army”, the total of two fines was 110,000 rubles (€1,450). The new Russian law adopted last March reads that repeated “discrediting” might trigger a criminal procedure.