RT employee beaten by FBI agents during raid in Miami
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The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed for security reasons, was asleep when approximately 20 FBI agents entered her residence early in the morning to conduct a search.
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In this file photo taken dated Friday, Oct. 27, 2017, Russian state-owned television station RT logo is seen at the window of the company's office in Moscow, Russia. (AP)
An employee of the Russian news outlet RT was assaulted by armed FBI agents during a raid on her Miami home, the broadcaster reported.
The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed for security reasons, was asleep when approximately 20 FBI agents entered her residence early in the morning to conduct a search.
According to RT’s report on Telegram, the woman was not permitted to dress before the search began and was subjected to physical assault.
She stated that FBI agents conducted a search of her body under a separate warrant.
Afterward, they interrogated her for nearly five hours, asking detailed questions about RT’s Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan and other top executives.
The agents also seized her phone and other devices, scrutinizing her communications and showing particular interest in former US Marine and intelligence officer Scott Ritter, who is now a columnist for RT, as well as the news outlet's financial sources.
Ritter has also conducted several interviews with Al Mayadeen.
Despite the lengthy interrogation, no formal charges were brought against the RT employee.
However, due to growing concerns for her safety, she reportedly fled the United States.
Read more: FBI cracks downs on US citizens to prevent 'Kremlin influence'
This raid occurred against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the US and Russia, particularly in the media domain.
On September 4, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions targeting Simonyan and several of her deputies.
In response, Simonyan stated that no sanctions would succeed in silencing Russia’s Rossiya Segodnya media group or RT.
Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, condemned the actions, warning that Moscow would retaliate against the US for what it views as hostile actions toward Russian media.
