The MBK.Media team are joining the demonstration against Duma deputy Leonid Slutsky and his colleagues at the State Duma.  While Mr. Slutsky remains in his post, all references to the Russian State Duma on MBK.Media will be followed by the extension “Russian State Authority for the Justification of Sexual Harassment”, and if the outlet writes about Slutsky personally, the fact that he was accused of sexual harassment will be mentioned regardless of the context.

Multiple other Russian media outlets including lenta.ru and znak.com have already taken the decision to refuse to cooperate with the State Duma “while Leonid Slutsky remains at his post.”

The MBK.Media team is calling for the Duma ethics commission to change its decision regarding the actions of Mr. Slutsky as well as for other deputies of the State Duma should come out and condemn the actions of their colleague.  Silence in this case should be regarded as an excuse for the actions of Duma Deputy Slutsky, after he was accused by multiple female journalists of forceful sexual harassment.

Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin responded to the allegations that “if working in the Duma is dangerous for you, you should change your job”, expressing clear contempt for both the allegations and the safety of journalists working in the State Duma.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky commented on Twitter “I’ll be surprised if any Western politician decides to meet with this ‘Chairman of the International Committee'”

Meanwhile, Karlheinz Kopt of Austria’s People’s Party pays a visit to the State Duma and is seen side by side with Mr. Slutsky after multiple harassment allegations against him are already well known.

This is yet another example of the importance for Western leaders to engage directly with the Russian people and disregard the band of corrupt criminals that claim to be their representatives.  If Western leaders care about their reputations at home, they should seek to forge connections with Russian society, and openly condemn the actions of those implicated in murder, human rights abuses, theft and sexual harassment.

The Russian Union of Journalists is now calling for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe to cease all cooperation with Duma deputy Leonid Slutsky. In an open letter, representatives of the journalistic community stated that “we are certain that only international condemnation and ostracism will be enough to force Duma deputy Lenod Slutsky to publicly apologise and stand down from his position as deputy.”