Russia: Exiled Yevgenia Baltatarova Yet Again Bogusly Charged
Kremlin persecutes journalist for “failing to comply” with foreign agent law — akin to spying
Location: Russia
Date: March 17, 2024
Women Press Freedom condemns the ongoing persecution of Yevgenia Baltatarova by the Russian government. Baltatarova, a Russian journalist forced to live in exile, has endured relentless scrutiny and harassment for her reporting. She now faces new criminal charges after being subjected to raids on her home and charges in absentia for reporting on Russian war crimes in Mariupol and Bucha. The role of Roskomnadzor in this persecution further exemplifies the extent of state censorship and control over the media landscape in Russia. By acting as the gatekeeper for what constitutes acceptable discourse, it effectively stifles any form of criticism or independent reporting. We demand an immediate end to Russia’s harassment of anti-war Kremlin critics and journalists in exile who continue to be targeted with arrest warrants and baseless criminal charges.
Read latest reports from the globe
WPF strongly condemns the ongoing legal proceedings against Gözde Bedeloğlu, a journalist for BirGün, who is currently facing charges of "insulting a public official" in Istanbul, Turkiye, filed by a Nationalist Movement Party politician.
During the ongoing Israel/Palestine conflict, the fundamental principles of press freedom have come under dire threat.
WPF welcomes the judgment of the Fair Work Commission that found that broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf was fired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) following a social media post by Lattouf sharing a Human Rights Watch claim about Israel's actions in Gaza.
Roskomnadzor (RKN), the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, opened another criminal case against Buryat journalist Yevgenia Baltatarova on March 17. The body, which acts as the Russian federal executive body tasked with overseeing, regulating, and implementing censorship within the Russian mass media landscape, is charging the journalist with evading the duties of a "foreign agent."
Russia's "foreign agents" legislation, expanded in December 2022, casts a wide net over individuals and entities expressing dissenting views or engaging in civic activism. The term "foreign agent" in Russia carries negative connotations akin to "spy" or "traitor." Designation as a foreign agent is non-judicial, and there's no opportunity to challenge it before being listed. This label imposes stringent reporting requirements, financial audits, and restrictions on political activities, severely curtailing freedom of expression and association. Numerous journalists, non-profit organizations, and media outlets have been labeled “foreign agents.”
The Russian Ministry of Justice labeled Baltatarova a "foreign agent" in October 2022. She left Russia in March 2022 following a police raid of her apartment, viewing it as a prelude to potential criminal charges.
After fleeing to Kazakhstan, two criminal cases were opened against Baltatarova for allegedly spreading misinformation and propaganda against the Russian army. These charges stem from her posts on her Telegram channel, "Baba Yaga against," which covered events in Mariupol and Bucha in Ukraine.
In June 2022, Baltatarova was briefly detained at Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan and prevented from leaving the country due to the international arrest warrant issued by Russia. Since then, she has managed to flee to Europe and currently lives in exile in France.
Baltatarova was fined 30,000 rubles in September 2023 for failing to mark her work as that of a "foreign agent."
The Kremlin's crackdown on dissent knows no borders, as evidenced by its continued pursuit of exiled journalists critical of its actions. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian government has intensified efforts to silence voices abroad, employing tactics such as charging journalists in absentia, adding them to wanted lists, targeting their families in Russia, surveillance, and even suspected assassination attempts.
Women Press Freedom unequivocally condemns the relentless persecution and judicial harassment of Yevgenia Baltatarova by the Russian authorities. This most recent chapter in the Kremlin's systematic campaign against free press and dissent underlines the perilous conditions under which journalists, particularly women journalists, operate within and outside of Russia's borders. The ongoing persecution of exiled journalists like Yevgenia Baltatarova highlights the Russian government's determination to suppress dissenting voices, regardless of their location. The designation of “foreign agent,” coupled with the expansive reach of Roskomnadzor (RKN), Russia's federal executive body in charge of media oversight, creates an environment of fear and censorship. The international community must condemn such actions and stand in solidarity with journalists who continue to risk their safety and freedom to report.
WPF is deeply saddened by the death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roschyna, who died under unclear circumstances while being transferred to a Moscow prison. The circumstances of her death remain uncertain, but one fact is clear: the Kremlin bears responsibility.
WPF strongly condemns the criminal charges brought against Ukrainian journalists Diana Butsko, Olesya Borovik, and CNN’s Nick Peyton Walsh by Russian federal security services for their coverage of Ukrainian military incursion into the Kursk region.
WPF is alarmed that the well-known journalist is facing issues traveling due to the Kremlin’s concerted and unjust transnational repression tactics
WPF strongly condemns Moscow's legal threats against Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, who work for the Italian public broadcaster RAI. The journalists stand accused of "illegal border-crossing" after reporting on Ukraine’s counter-invasion in Russia's Kursk region.
WPF is delighted that Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva has been released from prison in Russia and is finally, after ten grueling months, able to return home to family in Prague.
WPF condemns the sentencing of Ukrainian TV presenter Natalia Moseychuk to five years in prison by a Moscow court, in yet another transnational repression attack on press freedom.
WPF condemns the Kremlin’s relentless legal harassment of exiled journalists under “foreign agent” law.
Elizaveta Surnacheva is now facing a second prosecution for failing to comply with the reporting requirements imposed on those labeled as “foreign agents.”
Olga Komleva, a reporter and activist from Ufa, is facing mounting legal pressures and accusations.
In a stark affront to press freedom, a Russian court has convicted American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in a secret trial, sentencing her to six and a half years in prison.
Exiled journalist Lyudmila Savitskaya has been subjected to continuous legal and financial harassment by the Russian regime, WPF is worryingly documenting.
War photographers Olga Kovalova and Vladyslav Krasnoshchok were injured by Russian shelling while covering the conflict in Toretsk, Donetsk.
Women Press Freedom condemns the continued persecution of journalist who has faced years of harassment.
WPF strongly condemns the ongoing persecution of journalists by the Russian government, which continues to label independent news outlets as “undesirable.”
WPF strongly denounces this transnational repression and calls on the international community to stand in solidarity with Taratuta and other exiled journalists who remain vulnerable to state-sanctioned reprisals from Russia for continuing to report.
Russian-US journalist and author Masha Gessen was convicted in absentia by a Moscow court on charges of spreading false information about the military.
The Kremlin has initiated yet another deplorable attack on press freedom by opening an administrative case against exiled journalist Yulia Latynina.
The Interior Ministry issues arrest warrants for at least 13 women and non-binary journalists.
Court arrests Lazareva in absentia following search warrant by Ministry of Internal Affairs. The renowned journalist is unjustly accused of justifying terrorism.
The deepfake targeting France 24 and journalist Catalina Marchant de Abreu is a serious threat to press freedom and public trust.
WPF vehemently condemns the recent decision by a St. Petersburg court to label the journalist couple Lydia Nevzorova and Aleksandr Nevzorov as an “extremist union.”
WPF denounces additional fines slapped on Baranova for “failure to comply with foreign agent law”
Russian military forces detained Zhanna Kyseliova, editor of the Kakhovska Zoria newspaper, on June 27, 2024, in Kakhovka, Kherson, following a raid on her apartment.
On July 1, 2024, Ukrainian authorities reported the detention of Zhanna Kyselova, a journalist and former editor of the newspaper Kakhovska Zorya, by Russian occupying forces in Ukraine’s Kherson region. Kyselova was detained at her apartment in Kakhovka on June 27, and her current location remains undisclosed.
WPF denounces Russia’s decision to revoke the accreditation of Carola Schneider, a seasoned Moscow correspondent for Austria’s ORF.
WPF unequivocally condemns the Kremlin’s persistent and cynical use of transnational repression to silence dissenting voices, both domestically and abroad.
Arrested in absentia, journalist Ekaterina Fomina faces charges for disseminating "fakes" about the Russian army — a clear retaliation against her investigative reporting, which exposed a Russian soldier's confession to murder in Ukraine.
WPF condemns in the strongest terms the Russian Foreign Ministry's decision to revoke the accreditation of Austrian journalist Maria Knips-Witting and order her expulsion from the country.
WPF condemns in the strongest terms the recent actions taken by Rosfinmonitorin in designating journalists Maria Menshikova and Anna Loiko as “terrorists and extremists.”
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.