Russia may be having its Me Too moment amid a backlash over the decision of a parliamentary ethics committee to dismiss sexual harassment allegations against a senior legislator.
Russian media organizations, including Kommersant, Vedomosti and RBC dailies, Echo Moskvy radio, TV Rain, RTVI and Znak.com, said they would either boycott the lower house of parliament or refuse coverage of the deputy, Leonid Slutsky, and members of the State Duma committee that cleared him of any breach of ethics.
Three female journalists accused Slutsky of sexually harassing them, including BBC Russian reporter Farida Rustamova, who produced a recording of the encounter in which the married deputy pleaded with her to become his mistress. Daria Zhuk, a producer for TV Rain, said Slutsky tried to kiss and touch her when he was invited to take part in a broadcast at the online channel's studio.