Press Secretary Punished for Making Suspicions against Russian General Prosecutor’s Son Public

Irina Gumennaya, a spokesperson for the Moscow office of Russia's Investigation Committee, was reprimanded for an “unauthorized statement” made to journalists. Earlier, she informed members of the media that Russian General Prosecutor’s son Artem Chaika was called by the Investigation Committee for questioning. The interrogation is apparently related to the activities of illegal casinos, which Chaika is suspected to be involved in protecting. The statement (that experts believe was, in fact, duly authorized by press secretary’s superiors) appears to be a part of a struggle between the Investigation Committee and the Prosecutor’s Office. Each body has publicly accused the other’s officers of corruption and of obstructing anti-corruption investigations. Days ago, President Dmitry Medvedev met the heads of both bodies, Alexander Bastrykin and Yuri Chaika, but the results of the meeting have not been disclosed. http://gazeta.ru/social/2011/04/04/3574381.shtml http://www.1tv.ru/news/social/173813 (video)