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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov is seen before Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual state of the nation address to the federal assembly in Moscow, Russia earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

Spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin calls Harvey Weinstein accusers ‘prostitutes’

Dmitry Peskov was talking to Moscow students in relation to Russian parliament member Leonid Slutsky, who is accused of sexual harassment

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin called the actresses who have claimed sexual abuse by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein “prostitutes” and poured scorn on journalists who have accused a Russian lawmaker of sexual harassment.

Dmitry Peskov, speaking to students in Moscow, said that the actresses who spoke out against Weinstein had become stars and “did a lot that is not compatible with the concept of honour and dignity”.

“They earned hundreds of millions of dollars and 10 years later, they say that Weinstein is to blame”, Peskov said comments reported by the popular Echo of Moscow radio station.

“Maybe he is a bastard but none of them went to the police! No, they wanted to earn 10 million dollars.”

Film producer Harvey Weinstein (seen in January 2016) has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment, assault and rape. Photo: Invision via AP

“What do you call a woman who slept with a man for 10 million dollars?” Peskov said. “She’s called a prostitute.”

He was responding to a question about accusations of sexual harassment made by journalists against a senior member of the Russian parliament. 

Several reporters with Western or independent media have accused Leonid Slutsky, head of the foreign affairs committee in parliament’s lower house, of making lewd sexual comments and groping.

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The parliamentary ethics commission ruled that Slutsky had not committed any violations, prompting top media to boycott Slutsky and pull their journalists from covering the lower house.

Peskov has so far refused to comment on this in his official capacity, but he told students the women should have reported the offences immediately.

“If he felt you up, if he harassed you, why were you silent?” he asked. “Why did so much time pass and then you go to the ethics commission? This just amazed me.”

Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky in March 2014. The Russian parliament’s commission on ethics decided earlier this month that the groping accusations against Slutsky were unfounded. Photo: AP
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