Officials in Russia’s Khabarovsk Territory search homes of six Liberal Democratic Party members

Officials in Russia’s Khabarovsk Territory have conducted searches targeting multiple Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) members, reports the faction’s regional duma leader, Sergey Zyubr.

According to Zyubr, officials searched the “apartments, garages, and cars” of six LDPR members, including sitting governor Sergey Furgal — who was sentenced to two months in jail on July 10 on suspicion of organizing multiple murders between 2004 and 2005. Furgal has pleaded not guilty. 

Officials also searched the homes of regional deputies Dmitry Kozlov and Sergey Kuznetsov, who were both arrested on suspicion of fraud on July 9. On July 10, Khabarovsk’s Central District Court sentenced Kozlov and Kuznetsov to two months in jail.

Zyubr didn’t specify what prompted the searches.

Following Furgal’s arrest, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky gave a speech at the State Duma, stating that the Russian authorities had started to behave “like under Stalin.” Zhirinovsky also threatened to stage mass resignations by all LDPR lawmakers.