Russia: Kremlin Doxxes Ekaterina Lushnikova and 3 Other Journalists
The freelance correspondent for RFE/RL was designated a foreign agent in April, 2022
Location: Russia, Moscow
Date: January 9, 2024
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns the recent actions of the Russian Justice Ministry, which has recklessly and unlawfully published the personal details, including home addresses, of four individuals labeled as 'foreign agents'. This list includes Ekaterina Lushnikova, a distinguished freelance correspondent for Radio Free Europe’s Russian Service. This blatant violation of privacy is not only a gross infringement of individual rights but also a direct threat to the safety and well-being of these journalists. The act of doxxing, particularly in a political climate fraught with hostility towards the press, is tantamount to putting a target on the backs of these professionals. Such intimidation tactics are designed to silence dissent and suppress the freedom of the press — a cornerstone of any democratic society. The Ministry's actions also contravene Russian law, which explicitly prohibits the publication of personal details such as home addresses. The disregard for their own legal framework underscores a troubling disregard for the rule of law and due process. We urge the Russian government to immediately rectify this grievous breach of privacy and to cease its campaign of intimidation against journalists. We call upon the international community to condemn these actions and to stand in solidarity with journalists in Russia facing persecution.
The Russian Justice Ministry publicly released personal details of individuals labeled as ‘foreign agents,’ including journalists and activists. Among the affected is Ekaterina Lushnikova, a freelance correspondent for Radio Free Europe’s Russian Service in the Kirov region.
The Ministry's published document, “Plan for Conducting Scheduled Inspections of Foreign Agents for 2024,” lists four individuals: Nikolai Sobolev, Ekaterina Lushnikova, Sergey Piskunov, and Denis Konstantinov. It not only specifies their home addresses but also reveals their social security numbers and taxpayer IDs. This breach of privacy, as noted by Maxim Olenichev, a lawyer from the human rights group Department One, is a criminal offense under Russian law, potentially carrying a prison sentence of up to four years.
“How successful will such protection of the right to private life be in Russia today? It's hard to say, as courts increasingly guide their decisions in disputes with state bodies by 'political expediency,' not by legal norms,” Olenichev told The Insider.
On April 15, 2022, Lushnikova and several other Radio Free Europe’s Russian Service reporters were designated “foreign agents,” compelling them to disclose their funding sources and label their social media posts as “foreign agents.”
Russian authorities have tightened their grip on the media, especially since the invasion of Ukraine. Legislation proposed on April 6, 2022, sought to empower the Prosecutor General’s Office to shut down media outlets for showing "disrespect" to the government, bypassing court orders. The amendments are a significant escalation in the Russian government's ongoing efforts to control and censor information.
Several journalists have faced severe crackdowns from the authorities since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The latest in this series of troubling events is the arrest of Nika Novak on December 25, 2023. Novak, charged with "collaborating on a confidential basis with a foreign state," remains in detention in Moscow, awaiting trial until February 24, 2024. The Russian court's decision to classify the case as "secret" and the lack of clarity on which foreign organization Novak is allegedly representing gives concern over the transparency and due process of the Russian legal system.
Alsu Kurmasheva, an American-Russian journalist working with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has been in pre-trial detention since October 2023, initially detained for purportedly failing to register as a "foreign agent." She faces additional charges of spreading alleged "fake" information against the Russian military. Kurmasheva's detention is particularly significant as she is the second U.S. journalist detained by President Putin's regime within a year, following the detention of Wall Street Journal's Evan Gershkovich. Additionally, she is the third U.S. journalist charged with crimes in Russia this year, joining the ranks of Masha Gessen, an exiled New Yorker staff writer.
These cases are part of a broader pattern of press freedom violations in Russia, where journalists face increasingly harsh reprisals for reporting on sensitive issues, especially those involving the state's foreign and military policies.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom stands in unwavering solidarity with Ekaterina Lushnikova and all journalists facing unprecedented threats and violations of their rights in Russia. The targeting of Lushnikova, a distinguished journalist with a commendable career in various Russian and foreign media, is not just an attack on her individual rights, but a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence the entire community of journalists. This act of doxxing is a clear violation of privacy and a direct threat to the safety and well-being of these individuals. It is unacceptable and deeply concerning. We call for immediate action to ensure the safety of Ekaterina Lushnikova and others whose personal information has been recklessly exposed. Legal avenues must be pursued to challenge these violations, and international support should be provided to those facing persecution for their journalistic work.
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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