Russia: Detained US-Russian Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva Hit with New Charges Amid Russia's Media Suppression
CFWIJ and Women Press Freedom is appalled by the Kremlin's continuous targeting of the revered journalist, demands immediate release
Location: Russia, Kazan
Date: December 12, 2023
Alsu Kurmasheva, the unjustly detained American-Russian journalist, faces additional charges of spreading alleged "fakes" against the Russian army. The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) editor has been held in pre-trial detention since October 2023 on the grounds of purportedly failing to register as a "foreign agent." She is the second U.S. journalist detained by Putin's regime in the past year, alongside the Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich, and the third charged with crimes this year, after the exiled New Yorker staff writer Masha Gessen. The new charges intensify concerns that Kurmasheva is being targeted due to her U.S. citizenship. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom expresses alarm over the ongoing persecution of this distinguished journalist. We vehemently demand the immediate dismissal of all charges against Kurmasheva, urging her release from detention to reunite with her family in the Czech Republic.
"We strongly condemn Russian authorities' apparent decision to bring additional charges against Alsu," says RFE/RL acting president Dr. Jeffrey Gedmin. "Journalism is not a crime. It is time for this cruel persecution to end. Alsu has already spent 56 days unjustly detained and separated from her family."
“Journalism is not a crime. It is time for this cruel persecution to end”
On December 12, 2023, Russian state-controlled Tatar-Inform news agency and the Baza Telegram reported that Russian authorities opened a new criminal investigation into detained journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. The RFE/RL editor is facing new accusations of disseminating "fake" news about Russia's armed forces. If convicted, she could serve up to 15 years behind bars.
The latest charges stem from her involvement with a book titled "Saying No To War: 40 Stories Of Russians Who Oppose The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine," published in November 2022 by RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service. The book gathered the experiences of residents in Russia's Volga region between March and August 2022. According to investigators, Kurmasheva played a role in distributing the book.
Kurmasheva has been in pretrial detention in Kazan since October 2023 for allegedly failing to register as a “foreign agent.” Known for her distinct voice, the journalist is a prominent figure in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, reaching audiences both within Russia and around the world.
In a united effort — led by the National Press Club and the NPC Journalism Institute — the Coalition For Women In Journalism, Women Press Freedom and 14 other prominent press freedom and First Amendment organizations are urging U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take decisive action regarding the unjust detention of Kurmasheva. On December 4, a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives, including André Carson, Lloyd Doggett, Robert Garcia, James McGovern, Mike Quigley, and Eric Swalwell, co-signed a letter urging the State Department to promptly declare the wrongful nature of Kurmasheva's detention.
Unlike the previous accusations leveled at Kurmsheva, these latest charges have frequently been used by the Russian state to intimidate, prosecute, and even imprison journalists. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin has implemented military censorship laws, effectively dismantling independent outlets in Russia. This oppressive environment has resulted in severe consequences for journalists, such as Siberian journalist Maria Ponomarenko, who received a six-year prison sentence for posting on Instagram about civilian casualties caused by Russian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine. Journalists Marina Ovsyannikova and Veronika Belotserkovskaya, have been sentenced in absentia.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is utterly appalled by the escalation of persecution against Alsu Kurmasheva. The journalist has spent her career reporting on the Tatar region and is known for her thorough dedication to her work. These latest charges show the Kremlin’s determination to punish Alsu, both for her journalism and her US citizenship. We implore the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to intervene immediately to stop Russian authorities from its continuous targeting of the US-Russian journalist and to ensure her immediate release.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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