Moscow Claims the US is Advancing Toward Complete Censorship
According to Russia’s ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, a witch hunt is occurring in America during the presidential campaign. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
A witch hunt is currently taking place in America as the presidential election approaches, according to Russia’s ambassador to Washington.
Anatoly Antonov, the diplomat, asserted that freedom of speech in the U.S. is only granted to those who hold pro-American views, while dissenters face a “political inquisition.” His remarks followed an FBI search at the Virginia residence of Russian-born political analyst and author Dimitri Simes, which occurred on Tuesday. Simes has been a vocal critic of President Joe Biden's administration and has co-hosted a geopolitical talk show on Russia’s Channel 1 since 2018.
In a post on Telegram on Saturday, Antonov described the targeting of Simes as an illustration of the ongoing “witch hunt” in the U.S. leading up to the presidential election on November 5. He stated, "Hundreds of people are declared undesirable just because they dare to contradict the policies of the administration. They are forbidden from having their own point of view,” noting that government agents are “breaking into homes, performing searches and seizing documents.”
The ambassador likened the current environment to the “dark times of McCarthyism,” when Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy led a campaign against suspected communists in the 1950s.
"The local ruling circles have decisively embarked on the path of total censorship. Freedom of speech in modern America is sacred only if this speech is pro-American. All dissidents are subject to political inquisition, especially when it comes to those who fight against one-sided and biased views on Russia,” he added.
Antonov criticized U.S. officials for exhibiting double standards regarding democracy and freedom of speech, suggesting that while they “easily” disregard First Amendment rights domestically, they simultaneously lecture the rest of the world on democratic values and human rights.
Simes, who became a U.S. citizen after immigrating from the Soviet Union in 1973, previously served as an aide to President Richard Nixon and was the publisher and CEO of National Interest magazine, known for its realist stance on international relations. During the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, Simes was one of those scrutinized as a potential link between Donald Trump and the Russian government. Mueller's 2019 report ultimately found no evidence of collusion, which cleared Simes of allegations.
In a related incident, a week before the FBI search on Simes's property, agents had searched the home of Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Marine and UN weapons inspector, in New York. Ritter, who has switched roles to become a journalist and commentator, expressed that U.S. authorities seemed “primarily concerned” with his “relationship” with Russian media outlets, including RT and Sputnik news agency.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
Anatoly Antonov, the diplomat, asserted that freedom of speech in the U.S. is only granted to those who hold pro-American views, while dissenters face a “political inquisition.” His remarks followed an FBI search at the Virginia residence of Russian-born political analyst and author Dimitri Simes, which occurred on Tuesday. Simes has been a vocal critic of President Joe Biden's administration and has co-hosted a geopolitical talk show on Russia’s Channel 1 since 2018.
In a post on Telegram on Saturday, Antonov described the targeting of Simes as an illustration of the ongoing “witch hunt” in the U.S. leading up to the presidential election on November 5. He stated, "Hundreds of people are declared undesirable just because they dare to contradict the policies of the administration. They are forbidden from having their own point of view,” noting that government agents are “breaking into homes, performing searches and seizing documents.”
The ambassador likened the current environment to the “dark times of McCarthyism,” when Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy led a campaign against suspected communists in the 1950s.
"The local ruling circles have decisively embarked on the path of total censorship. Freedom of speech in modern America is sacred only if this speech is pro-American. All dissidents are subject to political inquisition, especially when it comes to those who fight against one-sided and biased views on Russia,” he added.
Antonov criticized U.S. officials for exhibiting double standards regarding democracy and freedom of speech, suggesting that while they “easily” disregard First Amendment rights domestically, they simultaneously lecture the rest of the world on democratic values and human rights.
Simes, who became a U.S. citizen after immigrating from the Soviet Union in 1973, previously served as an aide to President Richard Nixon and was the publisher and CEO of National Interest magazine, known for its realist stance on international relations. During the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, Simes was one of those scrutinized as a potential link between Donald Trump and the Russian government. Mueller's 2019 report ultimately found no evidence of collusion, which cleared Simes of allegations.
In a related incident, a week before the FBI search on Simes's property, agents had searched the home of Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Marine and UN weapons inspector, in New York. Ritter, who has switched roles to become a journalist and commentator, expressed that U.S. authorities seemed “primarily concerned” with his “relationship” with Russian media outlets, including RT and Sputnik news agency.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
