<p>Russian police on Tuesday were searching the apartments of investigative journalists and their relatives as authorities pile more pressure on independent media.</p>.<p>Proyekt (The Project), one of Russia's last remaining independent media outlets specialising in in-depth investigations, said that police were raiding the homes of its chief editor Roman Badanin and journalist Maria Zholobova.</p>.<p>Another journalist, deputy editor Mikhail Rubin, was detained while police were searching his parents' apartment, the media outlet said on social media.</p>.<p>The searches came ahead of the planned publication of an investigation into the alleged wealth of Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, his son and other relatives, Proyekt said.</p>.<p>"But we will publish it anyway," the media outlet said on messaging app Telegram.</p>.<p>Kremlin critics say that during his two decades in power President Vladimir Putin has silenced most dissidents and has muzzled the media.</p>.<p>The few opposition and independent media that still operate in Russia are under huge pressure, Kremlin opponents say.</p>.<p>In April, authorities designated Meduza, a popular Russian-language news website based in Latvia, a "foreign agent", forcing it to launch a crowdfunding campaign to survive the loss of advertising revenue.</p>.<p>The next month another independent online media outlet, <em>VTimes</em>, received the same tag and shut down in June.</p>.<p>Groups or individuals identified as "foreign agents" in Russia must disclose their sources of funding and label publications with the relevant tag or face fines.</p>.<p>The designation is seen as a deterrent for advertisers, and staff of publications with the label say the stigma makes it more difficult to work, including quoting sources.</p>.<p>Russia will hold parliamentary elections in September, and ahead of the polls authorities declared the organisations of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny extremist and barred his allies from running.</p>
<p>Russian police on Tuesday were searching the apartments of investigative journalists and their relatives as authorities pile more pressure on independent media.</p>.<p>Proyekt (The Project), one of Russia's last remaining independent media outlets specialising in in-depth investigations, said that police were raiding the homes of its chief editor Roman Badanin and journalist Maria Zholobova.</p>.<p>Another journalist, deputy editor Mikhail Rubin, was detained while police were searching his parents' apartment, the media outlet said on social media.</p>.<p>The searches came ahead of the planned publication of an investigation into the alleged wealth of Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, his son and other relatives, Proyekt said.</p>.<p>"But we will publish it anyway," the media outlet said on messaging app Telegram.</p>.<p>Kremlin critics say that during his two decades in power President Vladimir Putin has silenced most dissidents and has muzzled the media.</p>.<p>The few opposition and independent media that still operate in Russia are under huge pressure, Kremlin opponents say.</p>.<p>In April, authorities designated Meduza, a popular Russian-language news website based in Latvia, a "foreign agent", forcing it to launch a crowdfunding campaign to survive the loss of advertising revenue.</p>.<p>The next month another independent online media outlet, <em>VTimes</em>, received the same tag and shut down in June.</p>.<p>Groups or individuals identified as "foreign agents" in Russia must disclose their sources of funding and label publications with the relevant tag or face fines.</p>.<p>The designation is seen as a deterrent for advertisers, and staff of publications with the label say the stigma makes it more difficult to work, including quoting sources.</p>.<p>Russia will hold parliamentary elections in September, and ahead of the polls authorities declared the organisations of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny extremist and barred his allies from running.</p>