Russia: Antonina Favorskaya and Olga Komleva Arrested and Charged, 4 Other Journalists Detained
Journalists charged with “extremism” for reporting on Navalny
Location: Russia, Moscow, UfaDate: March 28, 2024
Police raided home and re-arrested SOTAVision reporter Antonina Favorskaya, while RusNews reporter Olga Komleva was also taken into custody. Both journalists are being held on “extremism” charges in connection with a criminal case against the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Four other journalists, Alexandra Astakhova, Anastasia Musatova, Ekaterina Anikievich, and Konstantin Zharov, were detained in Moscow. Zharov was severely beaten by officers and needed to be hospitalized. Women Press Freedom vehemently denounces the Kremlin’s crackdown on independent press; it continues to act with vindictiveness, jailing journalists for simply reporting and pursuing legal action against any with an association with Navalny. This is unacceptable, aggressive, and shameful, even for the Kremlin — which routinely smothers all forms of dissent with an iron fist. We demand the immediate release of all the journalists taken into custody unjustly, an investigation into reports of police violence, and that all charges being leveled at Favorskaya and Komleva are dropped.
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Re-arrest and New Charges Against Antonina Favorskaya
On March 27, 2024 as Antonina Favorskaya was awaiting release after spending 10 days in a Moscow jail on a ludicrous administrative charge, she was informed that her home was being raided by officers and she was under investigation.
The SOTAVision reporter is now facing charges of “participating in an extremist organization,” namely Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). Russian authorities designated Navalny's activist network as "extremist" back in 2021, a move that has placed anyone associated with it at risk of criminal prosecution.
Favorskaya has reported extensively on the Kremlin critic, including his court hearings. She filmed the last known video of Navalny before his death at an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16.
Favorskaya is reportedly being charged for posting on FBK platforms.
Navalny's spokeswoman says that Favorskaya did not post any content on the Foundation's platforms and implied that Russian authorities are harassing her because of her reporting.
Officers interrogated Favorskaya; she is now in a temporary detention center in the North-Eastern Administrative District in Moscow.
Arrest of RusNews Reporter Olga Komleva
On the same day, Rus News reporter Olga Komleva was taken into custody in the republic of Bashkortostan on similar charges.
The Kirovsky District Court of Ufa decided to detain Komleva until May 27 in connection with her alleged involvement in a case related to Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). According to reports from the channel "NeMoskva Says," Komleva, who suffers from diabetes, was denied access to insulin, which she requires regularly, while in pre-trial detention.
Security forces first visited Komleva's home without providing her with a formal summons but requested her presence for questioning regarding a criminal case. She was later categorized as a suspect. Upon arriving at the Investigative Committee building in the Kirovsky district of Ufa, Komleva was charged in connection with an "extremist community" case.
She previously volunteered at Navalny's campaign office in Ufa.
Four Journalists Detained in Moscow
After going to the Moscow jail to report on Favorskaya’s scheduled release, two other journalists, Alexandra Astakhova and Anastasia Musatova, were detained by officers.
The two journalists are reportedly being treated as witnesses in the new case against Favorskaya. Astakhova and Musatova were released after questioning the following day.
Police raided the homes of Antonina Favorskaya, Alexandra Astakhova and Anastasia Musatova, as well as the home of Favorskaya’s parents.
Reporting on the raid of Favorskaya’s home, SOTAVision journalist Ekaterina Anikievich and RusNews’ Konstantin Zharov were detained by officers. Law enforcement beat Konstantin so severely that he required hospitalization. Zharov was charged with “insubordination to the police,” while Anikievich was released without charge.
The level of brutality against descent of any kind is continuing to escalate in Russia. Police violence, though not unusual, has become more common and is now barely concealed. OVD-Info, a human rights organization that offers support to activists and journalists detained, reports frequent beatings and mistreatment of detainees in Russian jails.
Both Favorskaya and Komleva are clearly being targeted because of their connection to Alexei Navalny. His death, whether by neglect or planned, has seen an escalation in detentions. Those attending memorials to Navalny or reporting on these events have been targeted with arbitrary detentions.
Reports also indicate that security services in Russia are monitoring CCTV footage and using facial recognition software to identify those paying tribute to the late opposition figure, earmarking them for bogus charges or jail. Russia’s state propaganda networks have published the faces and social media accounts of mourners in an additional effort to strike fear into those who wish to express discontent with Putin’s regime or just sympathy for Navalny. The country’s system is increasingly authoritarian and is escalating its repression against journalists and activists.
Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns the actions of the Russian government. We demand the immediate release of all detained journalists and the dropping of the fabricated "extremist" charges against Antonina Favorskaya and Olga Komleva. Russia's descent into authoritarianism cannot go unchallenged, and the international community must stand in solidarity with those fighting for free press and freedom of expression in Russia. There must be a resoundingly clear condemnation of these attacks against journalists.
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