Russian prosecutors on Monday launched a probe into opposition television channel Dozhd for alleged "extremism" amid an intensifying crackdown on independent media outlets. Dozhd's owner Natalia Sindeyeva said on Facebook that local prosecutors had ordered the station to submit to checks on whether it was complying with anti-extremism legislation, as well as licensing and labour laws. The notice, dated Friday, said the channel was being checked at the request of unnamed "citizens" but did not say what programming was deemed "extremist".
