International Courant
Russia’s detention of American journalists has drawn criticism from press freedom teams.
Russia has detained a Russian-American journalist at a government-funded US media group for failing to register as a “international agent” when she entered the nation throughout a household disaster.
The outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) mentioned in a press release on Thursday that Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor and a twin citizen of Russia and the US, faces as much as 5 years in jail.
“Alsu is a extremely revered colleague, devoted spouse and devoted mom of two kids,” RFE/RL appearing president Jeffrey Gedmin mentioned in a twin assertion with the Committee to Defend Journalists (CPJ), a press freedom group.
“She have to be launched so she will return to her household instantly.”
.@press freedom is deeply involved about Wednesday’s arrest @RFERL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva within the west #Russian metropolis of Kazan and calls on #Russian authorities to launch her instantly.https://t.co/wKcchSDybX#FreeDePers
— CPJ Europe and Central Asia (@CPJ_Eurasia) October 18, 2023
US State Division spokesman Matt Miller advised reporters that the arrest “seems to be one more occasion of the Russian authorities harassing Americans.”
“We’ve not been formally knowledgeable of this arrest by the Russian authorities,” he mentioned.
Russia has tightened management over the media after invading Ukraine in February 2022, labeling many reporters as “international brokers.”
Kurmasheva, who works for RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir Service, is the second American reporter to be detained by Russia this yr, after Wall Road Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in March on espionage prices.
Press freedom teams and the US authorities have strongly criticized such detentions as a type of suppressing dissent. CPJ referred to as the fees in opposition to Kurmasheva “false” in its assertion to RFE/RL.
“CPJ is deeply involved concerning the detention of American-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva on false legal prices and calls on Russian authorities to instantly launch her and drop all prices in opposition to her,” mentioned Gulnoza Mentioned, program coordinator for CPJ Europe and Central Asia.
Tatar-Inform, a state information company within the Republic of Tatarstan, has reported that Kurmasheva is being held in a brief detention middle. The newspaper mentioned Russian authorities have accused Kurmasheva of amassing details about the Russian army and passing it on to international sources.
Kurmasheva, who lives in Prague, traveled to Russia on Could 20 for a household disaster, in response to RFE/RL. She was stopped at Kazan Worldwide Airport on June 2, the place officers seized her passport and fined her for failing to register her U.S. passport with Russian authorities, the newspaper mentioned.
The editor was awaiting the return of her passports when new prices had been introduced on Wednesday.
The Workplace of the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has referred to as for her “rapid and unconditional” launch.
“Journalists should be capable to do their essential work with out stress, intimidation and retaliation,” OHCHR mentioned.
Russia detains journalist with twin Russian and American citizenship | Press Freedom Information
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