Author Boris Akunin placed on wanted list in Russia

MOSCOW. Jan 26 (Interfax) - The Russian Interior Ministry has placed Boris Akunin (the pen name of author Grigory Chkhartishvili, designated as a foreign agent in Russia) on the wanted list.

An entry with Akunin's personal data appeared in the ministry's database of wanted individuals on Friday.

According to the database, Mr. Grigory Chkhartishvili, born in 1956, is wanted under an article of the Russian Criminal Code.

On December 18, the Russian Investigative Committee revealed that a criminal case had been opened against Akunin, suspected of publicly justifying terrorism and publicly spreading knowingly false information about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces.

Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring) added the author to the list of individuals and organizations with regard to which there is information about their involvement in extremist activities or terrorism.

In compliance with Russian laws, banks freeze the funds of people placed on this list and suspend the provision of services to them.

AST Publishing Group earlier moved to halt the distribution of any books by Akunin and Dmitry Bykov (designated as a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice).